Kathleen Cook – Niner Timeshttp://ninertimes.com
The Online home of the Niner Times, the once-weekly student newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:35:30 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.128498502Not your average freshman - How Octavia Wilson has grown into the player she is todayhttp://ninertimes.com/2017/12/not-your-average-freshman/
Tue, 05 Dec 2017 17:32:40 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=60384

Octavia Wilson takes a shot against Rutgers. Photo by Chris Crews

Octavia Wilson began playing basketball in the fourth grade, since then she’s developed into a strong scorer and just as a freshman, has emerged as a leader for the Charlotte 49ers.

“I’ve always liked basketball, it was always something that I wanted to do. I just found it fun. I wouldn’t do anything else, I would just go outside and play basketball,” Wilson said.

Going into her eighth grade year, Wilson’s mother passed away. Her emotions and funneled them into her playing.

“It took me to another level for it. I just put that toward my motivation,” Wilson said.

And she did go to another level, making the varsity team her freshman year and remaining on the team as a starter for all four years. Wilson always put up impressive numbers for her team in high school, but during the regional championship game her junior year, Wilson posted 58 points, including a buzzer beater that allowed her team to advance.

“At the end of the game, my friend runs up to me and is like ‘you scored 58,’ and I was like ‘what?’ I didn’t even know. I thought I had at least like 20, because earlier in the game I started out slow. I was like ‘I don’t believe you, let me see the book,’” Wilson said.

Wilson said she uses her mom as motivation “every time I step on the court, every time I accomplish something I want to accomplish.” She continued, saying “using it as motivation, I tend to accomplish a lot.”

One of goal Wilson wanted to accomplish was playing Division I basketball. She made that dream a reality when she signed with the Charlotte women’s basketball program. Ending up Charlotte was like a second home for Wilson with family members from both her mom and dad’s side of the family living in the area.

However, even with having relatives in the around, she still found herself missing home when she reported for summer school.

“During the summer I was home sick, I’ll admit I was homesick. It was the first time I had really been away from my dad, my sisters. I have two nephews now and they were living with me, that was the hardest part, being away from them,” Wilson said.

Though she was missing her family, her teammates stepped in and attempted to fill that void for Wilson.

“The team, we would hang out a lot. I see them as another family. Being with them, they make it a lot easier for me not to miss home,” Wilson said.

Before the start of the 2017-18 season, Wilson had a new standard for herself. With a large bulk of the 49ers’ scorers from last season not on the team anymore, she knew that she would have to step up and take on a scoring role for the the Niners.

“I set a goal for myself, saying every game I would at least score ten points as a freshman. I’ve kind of been sticking to that goal. As we’ve been going on, I don’t like to lose, I’m real competitive,” Wilson said.

Prior to Charlotte’s first game this season, head coach Cara Consuegra announced the starting five for the Niners. Among the names read was Wilson, which took her by surprise.

“After she said my name, me and Coach Cara had a little bit of a talk. I was nervous, it was my first college game,” Wilson said.

In that first game against Duquesne, Wilson posted 10 points and went a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line. After the game, Consuegra commended Wilson’s efforts during the contest.

“I was really proud because she did not play well at the beginning of the game. She looked a little rattled and looked like a freshman at times. We went back with her in the second half because she has earned that right in practices to show what she can do,” Consuegra said.

After their home opener, the 49ers traveled to Wisconsin. Wilson didn’t shy away from the basket, shooting 6-for-9 from the field, registering her first three-pointer and totaling 15 points in the game. With two double-digit scoring performances to open her collegiate career, there was no surprise when Wilson was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Week for the first week of the season.

The following game against Rutgers, Wilson posted an impressive 21 points. With her oldest sister playing for Rutgers when she went to college, Wilson felt a need to perform well.

“I really was trying to prove something because my sister was here, the coach from Rutgers has known me since I was little. I had to go off a little bit,” Wilson said.

She continued to “go off” in tournament play over Thanksgiving week. Against Consuegra’s former team, Iowa, Wilson registered 13 points and six rebounds. The following game against South Dakota State Wilson turned in 10 points. In her first six contests in the Charlotte jersey, Wilson has only had one game with less than 10 points: Nov. 18 when she tallied eight at UNC Ashville. Wilson currently shoots over 80 percent from the charity stripe and averages over 10 points per game.

Watching Wilson on the court will always provide entertainment for the fans, and even for head coach Consuegra.

“It’s been fun watching Tae play. Every game she keeps getting better because she plays so hard and competes at a high level. Some of the drives and scores she’s had in the first few games have been impressive. She’s going to just keep getting better,” Consuegra said.

Even if she’s not reaching double digits in the points column, Wilson aims to improve herself and her teammates each game.

“Each game I try to get better. Even if I’m not scoring 10 a night, I just want to try to contribute to the team by getting other people to score,” Wilson said.

While she has a passion for basketball, family is the main priority in Wilson’s life, as it is for the Charlotte 49er’s womens basketball program — making the two a perfect fit.

“This program is my family and we operate that way. We treat each other with love and respect and we genuinely care about each other…that goes for players, coaches and staff,” Consuegra said. “I think Tae in her recruiting process was looking for that. She comes from a very large and supportive family so that was important for her. And because we love and respect each other we can also be real with each other.”

In losing such an important member of her family, Wilson drew upon the strength of her family members as her support system. That familial support has continued throughout her basketball career and now extends to her family on the court.

“We lost something big, but us being that family that we are, it’s like we all still have each other,” Wilson said. “That’s how we did it. We can’t stay in the past. My dad and my sisters, we’re all close. For me, a big part of life is family. So that’s why the team, I see them as my family.”

Head Coach Brad Lambert and his staff on the sideline. Photo by Chris Crews

The Charlotte 49ers announced Monday afternoon that they will retain head coach Brad Lambert. Other staffing changes will be made, however.

Defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt, quarterbacks coach Jeff Mullen and receivers coach Damien Gary have been relieved of their duties with the team. Greg Adkins, who took over as offensive coordinator midway through the season, will remain on staff as the offensive line coach and run-game coordinator, however he will vacate the offensive coordinator position.

The 2017 season marked defensive coordinator Matt Wallerstedt’s third season with the 49ers. Before coming to the Queen City, Wallerstedt had 20 years of coaching experience, including time at schools including Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Air Force and Kansas State. Wallerstedt and Lambert met as teammates at Kansas State.

Jeff Mullen began the season as the offensive coordinator, a position he has held with the team for seven years. After the non-conference portion of the schedule concluded and the Niners were 0-4, Mullen was moved to quarterbacks coach. Prior to coming to Charlotte, Mullen had experience coaching quarterbacks as well as being the offensive coordinator at West Virginia, and coached quarterbacks for five seasons at Wake Forest.

Damien Gary joined the Charlotte staff in 2012 as the running backs coach. He moved to receivers coach at the end of the 2016 season. Gary played at Georgia during Lambert’s time coaching in Athens. After he graduated he coached at Mars Hill for the 2011 season before joining Charlotte in 2012. He began his time with the 49ers as the running backs coach and was moved to the receivers coach after the 2016 season.

Now, in addition to recruiting players, Lambert will have the task of filling coaching voids as well.

]]>60366Football-vs-FAU, 11/25, Chris Crews, DSC_7468Head Coach Brad Lambert and his staff on the sideline. Photo by Chris CrewsThe big guys - A look into what it's like to be a part of the Charlotte offensive linehttp://ninertimes.com/2017/11/the-big-guys/
Sat, 25 Nov 2017 14:30:29 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=60129

Part of the offensive line sets up before the snap. Photo by Pooja Pasupula

While the running backs and receivers dazzle the crowds at football games gaining yards and scoring touchdowns, a group that is often overlooked on the offense is the set of players on the offensive line.

For Benny LeMay or Aaron McAllister to breakout on runs or quarterback Hasaan Klugh to have enough time to find one of his receivers downfield, the offensive line has keep the opposing defenders at bay.

“It’s really a three to five second wrestling fight. Our job is to come off as fast as we can and as hard as we can and move them. That’s their job too, so basically it’s a big collision every play. Then you get a 30 second break, then it’s back at it again,” Chris Brown said.

Redshirt senior Eugene German is one of the leaders on the offensive line and he is one of few that have started all games this season on the line. Spending this time on the field, German has to follow a routine to ease the pain of his position.

“I go through a lot of tape and ice. Before we go out there, I tape up my fingers, my hands, my wrists. Then I add extra tape on top of my gloves. Then after games, after practice, I put ice on my knees. It hurts, it hurts bad, I’m not going to lie to you,” German said.

Junior Daren Drake moved into the center position for the 2017 season. He described the transition to his new spot as “tough.” Though the task isn’t easy, he appreciates his new spot.

“I’m starting to learn the game from a whole other aspect now. I love to hit coming off the ball, drive somebody and get a pancake if I can. Playing center, the strategy aspect of it and seeing how the defense sets up their play against the offense and making calls, that’s starting to make me really appreciate the game,” Drake said.

Playing on the line involves “constant communication and finishing blocks,” German said.

While there is no section on the stat sheet dedicated for the offensive line and their accomplishments during a game, the coaching staff makes sure the line knows what they achieved during a game. A board sits in the field house with each player’s name along with various stats, including knockdowns, from the game.

“It’s not really on the stat thing, but we have our own stats we keep up with. Every game we’ll keep up with who gets the most knockdowns, that’s how we go about it,” Brown said.

One of the main advantages of playing on the offensive line? You get to hit people. A lot.

“People go through a lot in their days and football is like an outlet to get that out. Like if you’re angry, you have time in practice to go hit people and not get in trouble for it,” Brown said.

German began playing the game of football and on the offensive line at the age of 12. If it wasn’t for the constant contact of his position, German probably would have concluded his career at a young age.

“Honestly, when I first started playing I was about to quit the first week of football. The only reason I kept playing was because I started hitting, and that was because of the offensive line. If I played receiver, tight end, or anything else I probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity to hit as much and that’s what I really love to do,” German said.

With the time the group spends together on the field and in meetings, a unique friendship has formed.

“We’re really a brotherhood, we have a bond. We hold each other accountable, we fight like everyone else, but at the end of the day we know it’s all love. We love to joke around, I would say we have the funniest position group on the team by far. Nobody can compete with us on that. I love them, they’re my brothers, it’s fun to play with them, to be around them every day. I look forward to coming in to meetings and practice with them,” Brown said.

German said, with this being his last season, this offensive line group is what he’s “definitely going to miss the most.” He also credits offensive line coach Greg Adkins for keeping the guys in line.

“Coach Adkins does a good job allowing us to joke around and then focusing us up at the same time. He always keeps that balance in between,” German said.

Adkis’ first season with the team brought change for the oline. Starting with spring practices, the players had to become adjusted to his new coaching style and techniques.

“Everything he has implemented has helped us this year. I would say the biggest thing was just getting acclimated to the new things,” Brown said. “He teaches us so much on and off the field. Taking all that in every day, I really look forward to that and really appreciate that from him.”

With the experience Adkins brings to the table (11 years in the SEC, as well as experience in the NFL and Big 12 Conference) he has packed a lot of knowledge into his players in their time together.

“He really helps us out schematically, maturing us as an offensive line. It feels like we’ve all learned like two to three years just from this one season alone. He really shows us there’s a time to play and a time to be serious,” Drake said.

While this season hasn’t panned out the way that players, coaches or fans would have hoped, the off-season looms, and with the off-season comes a new form of hope for the 49ers.

“We’re going to naturally make the standards higher, that’s how it’s always been since the first class,” Drake said. “We have to hold each other accountable more and push our limits. If we can push our limits in the weight room or when we’re running on the field, it’s going to show during the season.”

]]>6012937800366106_a09e7ee30d_oPart of the offensive line sets up before the snap. Photo by Pooja PasupulaLiving the dream - After serving in the Army, Jean Eason is fulfilling a dream of playing college football. http://ninertimes.com/2017/11/living-the-dream/
Sat, 11 Nov 2017 16:30:09 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=59867

An American flag on the field. NT File Photo

Seven years ago, Jean Eason was far from the Queen City. After high school, the offensive lineman enlisted in the U.S. Army and was on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He returned home with one goal on his mind: to run through the tunnel and play football at the collegiate level.

During his high school career, Eason wasn’t stellar in the academic field or on the football field. Following high school Eason joined the armed forces saying it was “the only opportunity” that he really had.

“I’m not afraid to tell people that in high school, I was a late bloomer. I wouldn’t say I got good until my senior year, and even that was just okay,” Eason said.

Though he didn’t tout the impressive career in football, Eason harnessed a love for the game and carried that with him as he ventured overseas. After enduring boot camp, he went on his first training exercise in Bulgaria. One night, laying in his bunk while listening to his iPod, Eason had an epiphany.

“I was just laying on that bed, and I envisioned running out of a tunnel with thousands of fans screaming and excited, and being so jacked up and so hyped. I almost cried laying in the bed. Not cried like of failure but tears of excitement. Right then I told myself if I ever get the opportunity, I’m going to take it,” Eason said.

At the conclusion of his time overseas, he returned to the States and picked up a job as a debt collector. The monotony of this job, paired with his urge to learn drew him to make the decision to attend college.

“One day, I was working at a dead-end job I couldn’t do. I was a debt collector, over the phone calling people all day. One day I got fed up, I gave myself a head ache from staring at the screen all day. I remember, I called my dad on my lunch break and I told him ‘I’m going to quit my job, I can’t do this anymore, I want to go to school,'” Eason said.

Once he made the jump of becoming a full-time student, Eason then revived his dream of playing collegiate football.

“I had narrowed it down to two different schools. I figured since both those schools had football programs, I said you know what, I’m doing it, I’m here, I’m becoming a full-time student, go play football. Why not? What’s the worst that could happen? You go out there and they tell you you can’t play, you’re cut?” Eason said.

Three or four years had passed and Eason had not played a real down of football. That didn’t effect him though, and he found himself on the roster of City College of San Francisco’s team. Starting for the notable squad provided Eason with the platform to make the jump to NCAA football. By the conclusion of his two year tenure in San Francisco Eason had received offers from multiple Division I schools including Cincinnati, East Carolina, Colorado State, Georgia State and Charlotte.

“For me to be able to not only play there, but to start for two years, I was able to position myself to get seen by Division I schools, Division II schools,” Eason said. “I feel like I had a school at every level showing interest in me. To get Division I offers was just a dream come true. I never, I was expecting to go Division II or III at best, which would have been totally fine with me. So getting a Division I offer was just the icing on the cake.”

When he was narrowing down schools, Eason kept two pieces of criteria in mind: He wanted to live wherever he attended school post-grad, and he wanted to go somewhere where he was felt needed.

“Coach Lambert and Coach Richardson showed me nothing but love my entire recruiting process. Coach Lambert flew all the way from Charlotte just to see me in California. I don’t believe he went to California to see anyone else, just me. That said a lot for me,” Eason said.

When he signed with the 49ers in February of 2017, Eason was 27 years old, making him the oldest player on the roster. Though he has experienced more in life than some of his peers, that doesn’t translate into the locker room.

“I am on paper the oldest person on the team, but honestly if these guys didn’t know how old I was, I don’t even think people would be able to tell the difference,” Eason said. “I try to learn from them just as much as I feel they try to learn from me. They can teach me stuff just like I can teach them stuff. They are teaching me stuff, every day I learn something new from them. They keep me caught up with the times, I’ll never not know what’s in style.”

His fellow lineman, Eugene German appreciates Eason’s age and all that he has sacrificed to be in the position he’s in today.

“Having him, he’s an older guy, he has a lot of experience just in life. As a leader, he’s just given us wisdom. I can’t say enough about Jean, he’s just a good guy. He really put it all on the line to go serve his country and fulfill his dream of playing college football. He’s a good man,” German said.

On a clear September afternoon, Eason was able to live out the fantasy he envisioned while stationed in Germany. During Charlotte’s home opener against N.C. A&T, he ran through the tunnel, into a cloud of smoke and was greeted by over 18,000 screaming fans.

“There are no words. It’s surreal, chilling. I can say, aside from the birth of my children, I have never felt more proud or happier, just genuine happiness, for anything,” Eason said. “I will never forget that day, ever. I don’t care what the outcome was, I don’t care what happened that day on the field. That was special to me, I’ll tell my grandkids about that one day. I’ll put that in my memoirs.”

Karrington King had a storybook career. After coming to Charlotte as a walk-on, he earned a scholarship position after his redshirt year. In the following three season, the linebacker was a common fixture on the field for the 49ers.

He racked up over 70 tackles in two of those seasons, becoming the second 49er to do so. King became the first Charlotte player to record over 50 tackles in four straight seasons.

Entering the 2017 season, he also filled a leadership position for the team off the field.

“I had to step into a leadership position, Coach Lambert and Coach Wally asked me to. Typically I was just a soldier where I just follow directions and do everything I was told to do to my best. They wanted me to speak up and have a voice on the defense as well as on the team. I stepped up to it, I felt comfortable in it,” King said.

Entering the 2017 season, King touted 205 career tackles. That number was just a handful shy of the 217 mark set by former-49er Larry Ogunjobi for the most career takedowns in program history. In the first drive of the second game of the season, King eclipsed Ogunjobi, taking the first place spot.

He continued to show off on the field and midway through the first half of the Western Kentucky game, the linebacker had over 60 tackles on the season. That all changed, however, midway through the second quarter of that game. After shedding a block, a WKU offensive lineman fell on King’s leg, dislocating it.

“I heard a pop and I knew right then and there that something was wrong so I just went down,” King said. “Some people came out there, AJ and the trainers came in. Dr. Fleischli, he’s the one doing my surgery, yanked it a couple of times and he put it back in eventually after some painful yanks. He finally got it back in and once he got it back in they just carted me off.”

Without knowing the severity of his injury, King still believed returning to the game was a possiblity.

“Initially, I just wanted them to put it back in. That’s all I was saying was ‘put it back in,’” King said. “I was thinking I was going to be able to play once they put it back in. But once he started yanking it I was like ‘no, I’m not going to be able to play anymore.’”

It wasn’t until King was carted off the field and placed it the ambulance that he realized he wouldn’t see the field as a player again.

“Then, once I got in the ambulance I realized I’m not going to be playing the rest of the season,” King said. “Then it clicked on me, I was like ‘wow.’ Then the doors closed and it was dark in there, I felt all by myself. I was like ‘dang, I hope we win this game at least, or something.’”

The days following his injury were emotional for King, but they were also a time of reflection.

“I’m a man of God. So really that weekend I was all in my feelings, I took the Monday off and I just had some time to think about things and wonder where I was going to next, the next chapter all that stuff they say,” King said.

After a few days, King slid into his new role on the team.

“Coach Wally always talks about body language and what you show and how it’s more important than what you say mostly. I just try to be here as much as possible, I want to still be a part of this team because I love this team. I’ll probably be here as much as possible and I’ll be on the field as much as I can and I’ll definitely follow my team because I want them to be successful,” King said.

In the week following his season-ending injury, the 49ers found their first victory of the season on Homecoming against UAB. King was on the sideline, sporting the 49 jersey – an honor given to one player each week that made an impact leading up to the game during practice. In that victory, the Charlotte defense held UAB to 344 yards of total offense which is the fewest yards they have allowed this year. Though he didn’t have a role in the game, his influence was still felt on the field.

“You just never think a guy’s career is going to stop,” head coach Brad Lambert said. “I think everyone was collectively, defensively like you know what, we have to all pull together and stop these guys. Karrington was there with us and he’s done so much for us and I think the guys really took that to heart and wanted to go out there and make plays and play well for him.”

While he could not be beside his teammates during practice or lifting weights, King’s presence in the field house still served to energize his peers.

“I think Karrington was a big motivating factor in how well our defense played and how well we are going to continue to play,” Linebacker Jeff Gemmell said. “So not having him definitely felt different. At the same time, he’s always around, he’s in treatment, he’s always giving encouragement to the guys on defense and I think still having him around really makes a big difference not only on Saturdays but throughout the week.”

Though his situation seems bleak, King knows there is more to life than playing football.

“I’m perfectly fine with it, I just know I have to keep my spirits up because people see me and probably feel bad for me,” King said. “I want them to know I’m fine, I’m good, I’m very positive about it because I know God has a plan for me so I’m just looking forward to seeing what’s happening next.”

]]>59503Football-vs-NC A&T, 9/16, Chris Crews, DSC_5476Karrington King lines up against NC A&T. Photo by Chris CrewsOpportunity of a lifetime - After playing in the Olympics, Joanne Aluka-White spends her time coaching the 49ershttp://ninertimes.com/2017/11/opportunity-of-a-lifetime/
Wed, 01 Nov 2017 17:30:41 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=59254

Joanne Aluka-White talks with her fellow coaches during a timeout. Photo provided by Charlotte Athletics

The Olympics are a premeire event that only some athletes get the opportunity to compete in. Joanne Aluka-White, an assistant coach for women’s basketball, was able to participate in the 2004 Olympics by playing basketball with Nigeria.

After beginning her basketball career in middle school, Aluka-White said she “wasn’t very good.” She improved enough to continue playing in high school, but not at the level she aspired to be at.

In the summer between her freshman and sophomore years in high school, her friend Itoro Umoh groomed her into a starting player.

“She picked me up every day over the summer and we went and played basketball. That’s how I grew as a basketball player. She told me certain things to do and we’d go play grown men. She would pick me up at one o’clock, we wouldn’t get back until eight o’clock. We just played all day, that’s where I grew as a player,” Aluka-White said.

After finishing up her high school career, Aluka-White continued playing at Middle Tennessee. During her first year in Murfreesboro, and under new head coach Stephany Smith, the team made it to the NCAA tournament and faced a dominant Duke team.

“We got our heads blown off, but it was exciting because that was the first time in a while that Middle went to the NCAA Tournament and won the OVC Tournament,” Aluka-White said.

Once she had attained her undergrad degree and Master’s degree, Aluka-White went on to play abroad in Portugal. When she returned to the States, Aluka-White received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: playing for the Olympics.

Both of her parents had migrated to the United States from Nigeria to attend college, this qualified Aluka-White to be a member of the Nigerian National team. Umoh, the same friend that molded her into a player back in high school, was already playing for the squad. When the team was looking for players to fill out their roster for the Olympic games, Umoh recommended her former teammate.

“It was a great opportunity that came out of nowhere. It was a blessing. That type of opportunity doesn’t happen to a lot of people. For that to happen without even me really trying, I was really fortunate,” Aluka-White said.

Playing for the Nigerian team gave her an opportunity for more traveling while playing a sport she loved. After traveling around for tournaments, finally, Aluka-White arrived in Greece for the Olympics.

Growing up, her parent’s stressed the importance of education. Playing basketball, especially for her parent’s home country, allowed her family to connect.

“Basketball was never supposed to be a thing for me,” Aluka-White said. “My parents really stressed education. I could have been a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer, that’s the direction I was supposed to go in. For him to see me experience a lot of success from being a collegiate athlete, going on to play professionally and then also represent his country, our country, in the Olympics was really special.”

While training with the national team two years later, she made the decision to coach instead of play.

“I feel good about what I was able to do as an athlete. I had the opportunity to travel the world, experience different cultures, meet a lot of different people. I got a chance to sight-see and do a lot that I wouldn’t have been able to without basketball. It wasn’t a hard decision. I wanted to coach,” Aluka-White said.

She spent the next six years coaching down in Miami. During her time there, she developed her coaching style.

“I was able to find my voice, find who I was as a coach and how I wanted to be with young people,” Aluka-White said.

Eventually, with having two kids and no family close by, Aluka-White sought to move closer to family. Charlotte, which is about three hours away from her mom, piqued her interest. After a conversation on the phone with Cara Consuegra, the two just clicked.

“I got her and she got me as far as why we’re in it. It wasn’t just about wins and losses, it was about developing young women, relationships, impacting lives and empowering young women to be positive reflections of this university and of this basketball program,” Aluka-White said.

Going out on a limb, she took a job in Charlotte without her husband having a job.

“Within two days, he had two or three interviews lined up. It was a God thing, it wasn’t just for us. God has his ways of putting you in the best situations without you knowing,” Aluka-White said.

Though she loves basketball and winning, the personal aspect of the team is something she enjoys as well.

“I love seeing players develop. I love that relationship part of it, I love watching young people develop during their time here. How you come in is not how you leave, on the court, off the court and in the classroom,” Aluka-White said.

With as many seasons under her belt, there is still an excitement in the air with a new season looming.

“It’s not easy and it can be tiring,” Aluka-White said. “I’m excited about what this season holds for our girls and what they can expereince as players.”

Basketball is a global game, just ask new assistant basketball coach Ivo Simovic. After growing up and playing in Serbia, then coaching in Spain and Connecticut, he now calls Charlotte home.

Simovic began playing basketball when he was in sixth grade, and continued throughout high school. During that time in Simovic’s life, a civil war within the Yugoslovian countries created a tough situation. During the wartime period there was also an economic crisis. With lack of funds and the chaos of war, Simovic saw basketball as an out.

“That was an escape, not only from bombing. We didn’t have enough money in that moment to go watch a movie or invite your girlfriend to dinner. You just spend time playing basketball, that was our reality,” Simovic said. “We didn’t go drink or smoke because we didn’t like it and also we didn’t have the money to do that stuff. We just have money to buy a ball, sneakers and play basketball. That’s what we did.”

After the Civil War concluded in 1995, bombings in Serbia began again by NATO in 1999. Now at university in the country’s capital, coaching basketball, instead of playing, was used as an escape for Simovic.

“I couldn’t believe what was going on. You see airplanes dropping bombs all over the country, it was a really weird situation. All during that period of time, I tried to keep my mindset thinking about basketball, playing basketball, teaching young guys,” Simovic said.

After spending a few years with a small team in Belgrade, at 23 years old, Simovic got the opportunity to coach with one of Serbia’s top programs, Red Star. Achieving his new position was “like a dream” for Simovic.

During his eight seasons with the Red Star club the team won the 2004 National Championship and was the runner-up for the 2007 championship. After his time with the Serbian team, Simovic was given the opportunity to coach in Spain. There was one main issue with the move to Spain: The language.

“I didn’t know a word of Spanish,” Simovic said. “It was an interesting experience. I tried to learn Spanish in five or six months, just to be able to speak it at practice, some terminology stuff like stop, run, shoot, because it’s tough if you don’t speak a language.”

While working in Madrid, Simovic was asked to be a international scout and assistant coach for the summer league with the San Antonio Spurs organization in 2013 and 2014. During the two years he worked for the team, the Spurs won the NBA Championship. Simovic was rewarded for his hardwork by receiving a ring.

After getting he was settled in Madrid, some of Simovic’s colleagues had jumped the pond and began coaching in America. Though he hesitated about going to the States, an sense of comfort created the urge to move.

“I think that was the reason why I decided to move from Spain, because I felt really comfortable there. I said, you know what Ivo, you’re 35, 34 years old, you need to move forward if you want to get better and learn things, move forward. I said, why not, let’s move to the states,” Simovic said.

Simovic and his family moved to Connecticut and he became an assistant coach at Hartford. After two seasons there, they made the shift down south and is now the new assistant coach at Charlotte. Simovic isn’t the only Serbian new to Charlotte this season either. Freshmen Milos Supica and Luka Vasic both hail from Serbia, but now call themselves a 49er.

Having that comfort of home gives the group of guys a special bond.

“All of us are trying to learn how to speak English or Spanish, but at the end of the day you can express yourself the best when you speak your language. We feel free when it’s the three of us and we’re talking Serbian, that’s a good feeling,” Simovic said.

Though he has numerous basketball seasons already under his belt, Simovic is still eager for the 2017-18 season to commence.

“I think we have really talented kids on our roster, we have a young roster,” Simovic said. “I cant wait to see how they’re going to adjust offensively, defeinsivey. I’m excited to see these young guys get better every day, at the end of the day that’s our goal.”

By living in multiple countries on various continents, Simovic has been exposed to many different ways of life. The one common aspect of all of the cultures he experienced: the game of basketball.

“It’s an interesting story how basketball can connect, like sports in general, can connect different cultures, different languages, different colors,” Simovic said. “I believe we have in this life, the opportunity to see different things and learn different things. You need to be able to recognize all those opportunities. I was lucky to travel all over the world playing basketball, so that’s beautiful for me.”

]]>58848Ivo Simovic family photo.jpg uncle jetIvo Simovic and his family. Photo provided by Uncle JutThe making of McAllister - The redshirt freshman jumped from third string to starter just in a matter of weekshttp://ninertimes.com/2017/10/the-making-of-mcallister/
Mon, 23 Oct 2017 19:33:35 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=58954

Aaron McAllister runs against a UAB defender. Photo by Chris Crews

After a series of unfortunate events leading up to the Western Kentucky game, the starting role in the running back position fell onto Aaron McAllister. The redshirt freshman played both sides of the ball throughout high school, but came to Charlotte as a defensive back. It was only a month before the 2017 season began that McAllister started working as a running back for the 49ers.

McAllister first played the sport when he was five years old. With his dad being the defensive coordinator for the Pop Warner team, McAllister got his early start in the game learning defense. In middle school, playing multiple other sports created the opportunity for him to begin running with the football.

“I guess I just love having the ball in my hands, so it kinda worked out. I ran a lot. I ran track, played basketball, so the athleticism came from playing different sports,” McAllister said.

Throughout high school, McAllister played both sides of the ball. On offense he recorded 757 rushing yards, 440 receiving yards, 15 rushing touchdowns and nine receiving TDs. Defensively, McAllister created four interceptions. Though he had experience with both position, when he came to Charlotte, McAllister was recruited to play defense.

“DB was the best position that they wanted me at, so I took that. I played both sides of the ball in high school, so it wasn’t a biggie for me,” McAllister said.

McAllister served his redshirt season during the 2016 season but still worked at the DB position. Before summer camp began for the team, head coach Brad Lambert asked if he would be on board with switching to running back for the 2017 season.

“When we looked at our team, we felt like we needed another running back going into August,” Lambert said. “I called him in, and I don’t ever just move guys to move them. I want them to be in with the decision because if a guy doesn’t want to move, he’s probably not going to give you all he’s got. I called him in and talked about it and he said ‘I’d love to move, coach,’ he wants to contribute.”

Though he was more than willing to make the change for his team, it required additional work for McAllister.

“It was two days before camp, so it was a lot of learning. I had to learn the offense, the coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball,” McAllister said.

Though he put in the extra effort through camp and the first weeks of the season, McAllister still had to wait his turn, falling behind sophomore backs Robert Washington and Benny LeMay.

“I knew I would be third string. We had Robert Washington and Benny LeMay ahead of me, so just watching those guys, keeping those guys focused. Just being patient, that was key because I knew I wasn’t going to play right away. It would have to be time for me to get in there because I was new to the system, to the offensive side. I was just being patient, waiting on my time.”

McAllister saw the field in the season-opener against Eastern Michigan with special teams. It was at Kansas State that McAllister saw the field for the first time in his new running back position this season. He recorded six carries for 18 yards. He also played a role on special teams, returning one kick-off for 66 yards. Against N.C. A&T, the redshirt freshman recorded a 39-yard kick-off return, but no rushing yards.

The next week, against Georgia State, McAllister got two carries for 16 yards. The Georgia State game marked the first contest without Charlotte’s starting running back, Washington, whose early departure moved McAllister up to the number two slot for the backs.

Aaron McAllister continues a run against UAB. Photo by Chris Crews

“When Robert wasn’t part of our team anymore, that really elevated him into that role. He’s really done a nice job, he works extremely hard at it, he studies it hard and he’s got some natural abilities as we saw Saturday,” Lambert said.

The next week, running behind just LeMay, McAllister got 12 carries for 69 yards at FIU. The following week against Marshall, he was second on the team in rushing yards with 35. Late in the Marshall game, LeMay went down with a concussion. This set the stage for McAllister’s first career start at running back at Western Kentucky.

“It felt great just having the opportunity, being behind Robert and Benny for the majority of the season, and then having the opportunity to start. It was just great, it felt amazing,” McAllister said.

In his first career start, McAllister had a career night. He rushed for two touchdowns and 157 yards, including an 89-yard breakaway that surpassed Kalif Phillips’ 77-yard run for the longest in program history.

“I didn’t really realize that I ran that far for that long of a touchdown until I started seeing the tweets. It was great,” McAllister said. “Just getting to the end zone was the only thing on my mind. I know we had a lot of game left, so I really wasn’t that excited. It felt great to just have those touches and score a touchdown. Being back in the end zone really felt amazing.”

After seeing McAllister’s performance at WKU, Lambert has more confidence in the 49ers run game heading to future games.

“We’ve been letting Benny take the load, and now Aaron went out and carried the load for us so we feel really confident in that,” Lambert said. “We’ll try to split those reps as even as we can now. You’re just more comfortable putting Aaron in now that he’s carried the load for you.”

The next week, the 49ers geared up to face UAB for their homecoming showdown. With LeMay still getting his feet back under him after his concussion, McAllister was still the go-to guy for the running backs.

His finished the game with 10 carries for 38 yards, coming in second on the team behind quarterback Hasaan Klugh who posted 140 rushing yards.

The 49ers scored their first win of the 2017 season against UAB, moving them to 1-7 this year. Though Charlotte is still growing and learning, the raw talent of the players on the roster is what gives McAllister hope for more success down the road.

“We have the potential, we just need to find that spark that’s going to keep leading us in the right direction that’s going to help us get that W sometime,” McAllister said. “I don’t think being young is a problem, we have the athleticism to make plays and to do what we need to do, we just have to keep fighting.”

]]>58954Football-vs-UAB, 10/21, Chris Crews, DSC_2210Aaron McAllister runs against a UAB defender. Photo by Chris CrewsFootball-vs-UAB, 10/21, Chris Crews, DSC_2208Aaron McAllister continues a run against UAB. Photo by Chris CrewsWorking with Workpeh - The redshirt junior has grown into a impactful player on the field http://ninertimes.com/2017/10/working-with-workpeh/
Mon, 16 Oct 2017 16:30:07 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=58782

Workpeh Kofa runs down field against Marshall. Photo by Chris Crews

After a late start to the sport, receiver Workpeh Kofa has contributed on the field for the 49ers since his freshman season.

Kofa was a late bloomer when it came concentrating on playing football. He took up the sport in eighth grade, but the pigskin always came in second to basketball. It wasn’t until Kofa’s junior year at Independence high school that he started to look seriously at football. Once he gave the game his all, he reaped the rewards on the field.

“I started to develop in football and it became more natural. When I started taking it more seriously, I saw more results on the field,” Kofa said.

In his junior season at the high school level, he was named the Offensive MVP after having 604 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns. At the conclusion of his high school career, Kofa had over 1,500 career receiving yards and twenty touchdowns. The three-star prospect received offers from schools including Appalachain State, Louisville, Ball State an Toledo. Another names being tossed in the hat for Kofa: the Charlotte 49ers.

Charlotte wasn’t a new face in the recruiting world for Independence players. Just a couple of years earlier, the 49ers recruited another receiver from the program by the name of Austin Duke. Though they shared the same field in high school, the pair of receivers were not close until Kofa began his recruting process.

“It’s funny because in high school, me and Austin barely talked, we never hung out,” Kofa said. People might have thought we were close then, but we didn’t actually get close until I got here and kind of when I was getting recruited here. It’s kind of weird and funny now that I look back at it.”

With the different options presented to Kofa for his collegiate career, the recruiting process for the now 6-foot-1, 206 pound receiver was intense.

“That whole thing was just so crazy. If I could give advice to any high school kids doing it now, I would tell them to take their time with it, just be smart about it and go somewhere you’re comfortable. That’s what I did,” Kofa said.

One of the major factors for creating the warm atmosphere in the Queen City was coach Phil Ratliff.

“Coach Ratliff had a big influence, I was very comfortable with coach Ratliff. I don’t want to say I had a problem trusting coaches, but I want to be somewhere I know I’m comfortable and somebody is going to watch my back through tough times,” Kofa said.

After Ratliff’s passing, Kofa said “his presence is still here, you can feel it because everything is family based here. Everyone has to look out for each other, especially after that.”

After serving a redshirt season in 2014, Kofa saw the field in all 12 games during the 2015 slate. After adjusting the needs of the team, Kofa ended the season with 17 catches for 177 yards.

“There’s definitely been a lot I had to learn, especially my first year. I had to tell myself to be ready any moment because I never knew when I was going to go in,” Kofa said.

At the start of the 2016 season, veteran receiver Trent Bostick was sidelined for all games after a concussion prior to the first contest of the year. This opened the door for Kofa and teammate T.L. Ford II to step up and fill the void.

“I’ve always had confidence in my game and I always see myself as a number one receiver no matter what I’m doing,” Kofa said. “But I did have to step up from the reps I got from my freshman year to my sophomore year. I feel like I did a good job in that and I feel like I showed that I can be a number one receiver.”

Kofa made an impact on the field for the 49ers during his second season. He was third on the team after converting 27 catches for 329 yards. He led the 49ers offense with five receiving touchdowns.

His successes carried over into the 2017 season. Kofa leads all Charlotte receivers with 265 yards so far this season. His longest reception was 44 yards against North Carolina A&T. Against the Aggies, Kofa put up a career-high of 110 yards.

After 38 yards against Marshall, the receiver registered over 750 career yards. His 771 yards make him the fourth Charlotte player to eclipse 750 career yards.

“I didn’t know until after the game. The goal is always a thousand yards each season, I feel like every receiver should reach for that. I’m grateful, but I know I can do way more than what I have been doing. That’s what I’m aiming to work towards, just being more productive, being the number one target I know I can be.”

With a dismal 0-7 season so far for the 49ers, leadership is needed on the field for Charlotte. Kofa looks to lead his teammates, not just by his words, but through his actions on the field and in the weight room.

“I consider myself a leader, but not a vocal leader. I’ve always been more of a show your leadership in your play, how you practice and being consistent in everything you do. It’s something I truly believe in.”

Last season, Juwan Foggie, a wide receiver, watched from the sidelines as his teammates played defense. This year, Foggie plays with those same teammates, leading the team in many statistical categories as an outside linebacker.

From his high school days through his sophmore season with the 49ers, Foggie has always run routes as a wide receiver. The only experience the High Point, North Carolina native had on defense was in high school, playing defensive end his freshman year and safety during his senior season.

His freshman season with the Niners, Foggie saw action in all 11 games. During that first season for Charlotte, he had one reception for 15 yards and one punt return for 10 yards. After redshirting for the 2015 season, Foggie returned to the field for the 2016 season, putting in time as a wide receiver as well as on special teams.

On the offensive side of the ball, he recorded six catches for 57 yards, three of his catches were over 10 yards.

Also during that season he received the Special Teams Conference USA Player of the Week after he blocked a punt in the endzone that was recovered for a 49er touchdown at Southern Miss. Foggie was also responsible for converting a punter’s fumble into a touchdown in last game of the season at UTSA.

While he was affiliated with the receiving corps in his first few years at Charlotte, the defensive coaches, including Ulrick Edmonds, planted the idea in Foggie’s head that he could convert to defense.

“Every day they would joke around and say ‘Foggie, when are you coming over to the dark side and playing defense with us because you’ve got the body type for it and everything.’ It was always in the back of my mind, in the spring I just made it happen,” Foggie said.

With his long physique, speed and range, Foggie was a good candidate for a defensive athlete. After the senior class left last year, there was a void in the starting position at outside linebacker.

“It wasn’t a lot of convincing, we always joked around with him about it and then all of the sudden he said ‘it might be a good idea,’” Edmonds said.

During spring ball, Foggie began the transition to his new defensive position. With basically no prior exposure at the position, Edmonds started with the basics. While the training served to teach Foggie his new role, it also helped both Foggie’s fellow teammates and Edmonds.

“College football seems so complex, but it’s really all about the fundamentals. It was good for him, it was good for me to just go back over things from square one, like how to get into the stance, what are you supposed to be looking at. It was good for him, it was good for all of the guys and it was a whole lot of fun,” Edmonds said.

As it should be expected in learning a new position, the switch to linebacker wasn’t a smooth transition. However, Foggie was not discouraged and persevered.

“There was a rough patch early on. After I watched more film, learned the plays and focused in, I got the hang of it,” Foggie said.

The overall attitude that Foggie brought to the field allowed Edmonds to mold him into a force on the defenisve side of the ball.

“That’s what makes him such a good person, he didn’t come over thinking ‘Hey, I’ll start.’ He had a goal in his mind, that he wanted to be the starting outside linebacker and help this team win. He worked hard and did everything he was asked to do. He is one of the most coachable people I’ve ever been around,” Edmonds said.

In the week leading up to the season opener at Eastern Michigan, it was revelealed that the starting outside linebacker position had been earned by none other than Foggie. This indicated that Foggie’s efforts had paid off, he said he felt he “worked for it and earned it.” Edmonds felt the same way.

“It was just him working hard day in, day out. It carried over to the summer time, he works as hard as any other guy on our team. Those are the types of guys you want starting, regardless if it’s quarterback, linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive line. He’s just a relentless worker, he worked hard and he earned the starting spot. He didn’t have to convince me, he did it with his actions,” Edmonds said.

The Eastern Michigan game served as Foggie’s first career start. To add to his nerves, he would be playing a position he never had real game experience in.

“That first game, I had a lot of pressure on me. I felt like I had to go out there and do something to show that I should be on this side of the ball because I had always played receiver and receivers don’t tackle. I had to go out there and make it happen,” Foggie said.

And Foggie did make it happen. In that first game Foggie had three solo takedowns, three assists, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two quarterback huries and one pass breakup. The success he found in his first game assured the player he was in the right position.

“It was a big relief, a stress came off my shoulders. It felt real good that I was able to go out there and do something for my team and make an impact on the game. I just want to keep on going up and keep climbing and do better week in and week out,” Foggie said.

Having the prior knowledge of offense, special teams and now defense gives Foggie a competitive advantage.

“It actually helps, knowing the different spots on the field, being on both sides of the ball, it’s actually an advantage for myself,” Foggie said.

Through the first four games in the season, Foggie has 29 total tackles, 18 of which were solo takedowns, 2.5 tackles for loss totaling 10 yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recover, two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.

He is either leading or tied for the lead this season in pass breakups, quarterback hurries, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.

In Week 3 of play, Foggie was selected to wear the honorary 49 jersey in the home opener against N.C. A&T. Foggie was also a captain for the game, the first player this season to tout both honors in the same game.

Against Georgia State, the linebacker recorded a career high 11 total tackes, eight solo and three assists.

“For Juwan, it’s just good to see a kid that works hard, that does everything he is asked to do, he goes to class, he makes good grades, to be successful,” Edmonds said. “That’s the most important part to me, whether it’s one of my guys or it’s another position. He does things the right way and he’s having some success. That’s the most rewarding thing for me, just for him — he’s doing all the actions, he’s doing all the work and his work is paying off.”

Charlotte coach Brad Lambert after talking to the huddle. Photo by Chris Crews.

Greg Adkins will serve as the offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season, replacing Jeff Mullen, head coach Brad Lambert announced Monday. The coaching change is made after Charlotte started the 2017 football season 0-4.

Mullen has been on staff with the 49ers for seven seasons and was Lambert’s first hire. He will now move to coach the quarterbacks. Mullen has previously worked with the QB’s at West Virignia University and at Wake Forest Univesity.

Adkins previously was responsible for the offensive line and served as the Run Game Coordinator.

Adkins brings experience to the field, having coached in Power Five conferences as well as on the NFL level. Though he has over 25 years of coaching experience and has attended 12 bowl games, this will be the first time Adkins has acted as the offensive coordinator.

After a rough non-conference run, the 49ers have to go on the road in pursuit of their first win as they take on FIU Saturday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

Hasaan Klugh will welcome his former team to open the home slate for the 49ers. NT File Photo

After spending the first two weeks on the road, the Charlotte 49ers are welcomed back home to square off with N.C. A&T — starting quarterback Hasaan Klugh’s former team. A&T, an FCS team, made it to the FCS Playoffs last season and enter Jerry Richardson Stadium undefeated. This contest marks the 49th overall game for the Niners and Charlotte is 4-0 in home openers all-time.

The game will be played under the lights, at 6:30 p.m. in Charlotte. If you can’t make it out to The Rich, you can watch the game on WCCB or listen in on 730 AM.

Last time out

Charlotte traveled to No. 19 Kansas State for Week 2 of competition and lost to the Wildcats 55-7. Charlotte fell victim to three turnovers, two of which resulted in K-State scores. The Niners only registered 168 yards of total offense — a program low.

Kansas State dominated, having just over 36 minutes of possession compared to Charlottes’ 23 minutes. The Wildcats finihsed the game with 493 total offense yards, 189 in the air and 304 on the ground. The 49ers struggled on the third down conversions as well, only being successful on four of their 15 attempts.

Compared to the game against Eastern Michigan, the 49ers were able to control penalities during the contest, only having seven penalties for 50 yards. During the game, Karrington King recorded 18 takedowns, eclipsing the mark set by Larry Ogunjobi for career tackles.

Last weekend, the Aggies shutout Mars Hill to become 2-0 on the season. A&T recorded 490 total offense yards, 268 passing and 222 rushing. The group averaged 6.7 yards per rush and 10.3 yards per pass during the game.

The Aggies forced three turnovers, two inerceptions and one fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Lamar Raynard, A&T’s quarterback threw for a career high five touchdown passes. Those also tied the program record for TD passes thrown in a half.

Aggies Preview

So far this season, N.C. A&T has dominated their competiton, outscoring them 101-3. Over the first two games, the offense has 948 yards of total offense. The squad averages 169.5 rushing yards per game and 304.5 passing yards per game.

The Aggies offense comes out strong, scoring 68 of their 101 points this season within the first half. There are many weapons that the team can utlitize, which leads to their success on the field.

Raynard, the group’s starting quarterback, leads the FCS in efficiency rating. He has thrown 92 consecutive passes without an interception. There are three receivers on the team who average 70 yards per game. Elijah Bell leads the receiving corps with 131 yards on the season. Jaquil Capel, who signed with the 49ers out of high school and later transferred away, averages 78.5 yards per game.

Marquell Cartwright leads the runningbacks with 179 net yards through the first two games. Jamari Smith averages 34 yards per game as well.

On the special teams, Khris Gardin is second in the FCS in punt returns, averaging 26.9 yards per return.

The Aggie defense have recorded 18 tackles for loss, totaling 65 yards. They have also forced three fumbles and had three interceptions. The group has yet to allow a touchdown in the 2017 season.

]]>57746Football-vs-MTSU (Senior Day), 11/19, Chris Crews, DSC_5264Hasaan Klugh will welcome his former team to open the home slate for the 49ers. NT File PhotoGolfing for gold - After teeing off for the first time Friday morning, learn more about women's golf coach Holly Clarkhttp://ninertimes.com/2017/09/golfing-for-gold/
Fri, 15 Sep 2017 16:45:49 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=57756

In November of 2015, Holly Clark arrived as the head coach of the new founded women’s golf team. Two years later, with her team assembled, the first tournament is upon them.

Golf has always been a part of Clark’s life, beginning at a young age.

“I grew up in a family full of golfers. My grandad really got me started, it started out where I would go out to the golf course with him at night and ride around in the golf cart. He would cut down clubs for me and let me play around with time to the point where I decided I would really take this sport seriously,” Clark said.

She played junior golf competitively, then went to the University of Tennessee and played. Wanting to be a doctor, Clark got her undergrad in medicine. Instead of pursuing med school, an opportunity was presented for her to help start up the women’s golf program at Carson Newman as an assistant coach.

“I thought ‘I’ll try this for a year and see if I like it,’” Clark said. “After a year I thought ‘well I want to do this for another year,’ two years went by, three years went by, and I said ‘school can wait because this opportunity might not come back.’”

Though initially it wasn’t a priority, coaching became a passion of Clark’s. After spending three years with Carson Newman, Clark made the jump to a competitive Vanderbilt team.

“When I went to Vanderbilt it was a whole different athlete. It was intense, I loved it. I loved the pressure, I loved the intensity. It was a whole different animal to deal with, but it was great. I was given a lot of responsibility, that’s how I best learn, it was awesome,” Clark said.

Clark remained with the Commadores for six years. Then she was approached to take on the head coach position for the Charlotte 49ers. Though she had already worked for a start-up team, her experience at Carson Newman didn’t compare to what Clark faced in the Queen City.

“Starting here, I can’t compare the two, there’s been so much that’s happened to me from 21 to 31. You grow a lot during that time, so I grew as a person. I think as I’ve grown as a person, my thoughts and views as a coach have changed. How I approach golf and athletics and my team is so much different than I did then,” Clark said.

For two years, Clark has been working to set up the inagural season of the women’s golf team. She has taken advantage of the time and set up the framework for a successful program.

“I had time to think about it and figure out really what it is that we want to do. People keep saying ‘oh my goodness, you have this blank canvas, you can do whatever you want to do,’ I can it’s wonderful, but I don’t want to mess it up,” Clark said.

In addition to building the team, Clark has used this time to improve herself as a coach.

“I’ve had more time to reflect on what’s important to me as a person, as a coach, and how I’m going to incorporate that in our program. I’ve never had that time before and it’s been wonderful. It’s been great reflection time and it’s reminded me why I do what I do and why I love it,” Clark said.

Recruiting for a startup was very different than recruiting for a team like Vanderbilt. The lack of history in the program caused convincing girls to come to Charlotte to become a difficult task.

“It was harder than I thought it would be. I think it’s super exciting that there’s something new and something great and wonderful about being a part of something that hasn’t ever been here before,” Clark said. “I love the challenge, I love that opportunity. I’m learning that there are a lot of people that don’t. A lot of you strong, talented players want to be a part of history instead of creating their own history.”

In November of 2016 the program received its first commit: Siarra Stout. Stout, a native of the Nashville area, had already been on Clark’s recruiting radar from her time in Vanderbilt.

“As soon as I got this job, I called her. I had to convince her that she should just come look at Charlotte,” Clark said. “She’s the type of person any coach would want on their team. She’s a great student, she’s a great player, she’s a great person, she’s a great teammate. She’s super coachable.”

The key to team growth is, said Clark is “comradery,” and her team had it before they even arrived on campus. Over the past year, the girls have taken trips to each other’s homes to spend time with each other, build a relationship and play golf.

“This is a tight-knit group who was really close before they even got here. That’s really special and unique in itself. Team chemistry is so important in your success and I think it’s critical in the growth as they continue to develop and move forward. These girls are super coachable. They’re just good people, they’re wonderful to be around. As a coach, you’re around them more than you are your own family so you want to make sure you’re surrounded by good people,” Clark said.

The 49ers women’s golf team had their first tournament the weekend of Sept. 15-17. After setting the foundation of the program, Clark is excited not only to get back on the course, but for her players to finally get the exposure of playing in a college tournament.

“I’m excited because I’ve been waiting two years to get going. This is back home for me,” Clark said. More than anything I want them to just enjoy the process and learn from the experience and grow each day. There are going to be bumps in the road that they’re going to have to jump over. There are going to be set backs and there are going to be big leaps forward. There are going to be small victories and they’ll be able to hopefully learn from all of this.”

Charlrlie Skalaski on the sidelines against Eastern Michigan. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Athletics

Each of us takes a different path which leads us to the place in which we were meant to be. Charlie Skalaski was inspired by his presence in Manhattan on 9/11 to emark on a radically different career, coaching football instead of corporate America.

After having a successful stint as a defensive back at Florida including three bowl game appearances, Skalaski remained in Gainesville to be a graduate assistant while receiving his Master’s Degree in public administration. Once he completed graduate school, the Miami-native worked his way up the corporate ladder, until he became the manager of the New York City office for Steelcase. He was there at the turn of the millennium, and also in September of 2001.

“On the morning of 9/11 I actually had an appointment downtown, at 120 Broadway, which was about three blocks, four blocks from where the Trade Centers were. As I was walking out to get to the subway to go, the first plane hit. I didn’t even know it,” Skalaski said.

A call from an associate led to Skalaski reschedule his meeting for later in the afternoon, knowing it was going to be “chaos” there.

“I knew between firetrucks and stuff, not thinking it was going to be anything of magnitude, I knew it would still be crazy,” Skalaski said.

When he returned to his office, the catastrophic nature of the situation became clear to him.

“Right about when I got back to my office, coming back up out of the subway, the second plane hit. I didn’t know that either at the time because I was in midtown,” Skalaski said. “When I walked up there, everyone was silent around the TV’s. That’s when I first got the feel for what was going on.”

With the uncertainty as to how the city would respond to the attack, Skalaski took charge. He locked down his building, brought in food and waited to see what would unfold outside.

“I didn’t know if people were going to lose their minds in New York City, if people were going to riot, if there was going to be chaos,” Skalaski said. “Fortunately, people didn’t overreact, people didn’t freak out. People just started walking because there was no more transportation, they shut everything down from downtown New York City to midtown.”

With the lack of cell phone service, getting in contact with loved ones wasn’t an easy task.

“My family was very nervous, I know my wife was because she knew I had an appointment downtown that day,” Skalaski said. “I could take the subway either to right by Wall Street or you could take it into the Trade Center, and I was 50/50 on which one I would use. So, for all she knew, I had taken the subway into the Trade Center and I could’ve been in the building.”

After the last person left his building, Skalaski began his journey home. An associate that had left earlier alerted him that the West Side Highway was open. While Skalaski trekked home on his regular route, nothing about the drive was normal.

“It’s wall-to-wall with people seven days a week, 365 days a year. You talk about an eerie feeling, I was the only car driving outbound, leaving the city. All that was driving by me were like military vehicles, busloads of NYPD officers who I guess were going down to the site,” Skalaski said.

The losses on 9/11 were felt in the areas surrounding New York City, including in Skalaski’s community, Ridgewood, New Jersey.

“We had lost I believe it was 13 people in my community that day in the towers, two of which were volunteer coaches in the football program,” Skalaski said. “I get this call out of the blue, I hadn’t told anybody about my background, that I had played and coached college football before, and it was that guy and he said ‘hey would you be interested in helping us?’”

Though he had been successful in the corporate circuit, Skalaski said he never felt “intrinsically fulfilled” in his career. But when he returned to the football world as a coach, the pieces of his life fell into place.

“It didn’t take long, it was probably three or four weeks into it that I was smitten and knew you know what, this is what I’m supposed to be doing. This is what God wants me to do. We’re all called on a different path in life. We need business men, but there was no intrinsic fulfillment in that arena for me. I wanted to move from being a success more to a life of significance,” Skalaski said.

Charlie Skalaski on the sidelines of the Spring Game. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Athletics

After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the economy shifted in America. Steelcase, the company Skalaski worked with, downsized from 22,000 employees in September of 2001 to 11,000 a year later. Being in the upper level of management, Skalaski knew there was a high chance he would be among the next wave of cuts. He took his cue, quit his job and pursued coaching.

“I told my wife ‘I’m going to take a few months and see if I can get back in this coaching thing.’ She thought I was nuts, she thought it was a midlife crisis or something,” Skalaski said.

He tapped his contacts in the coaching world and eventually found a home in Liberty University. After making the jump from business suits and skyscrapers to gym shorts and grass fields, Skalaski had never been happier.

“I was a kid in a candy store to be honest. All of the credit goes to my wife and kids, because I went from making a pretty good living to making peanuts. I probably cut my income by 75 percent,” Skalaski said.

During his nine years with Liberty, Skalaski acted as the tight ends coach, the wide receivers coach and the recruiting coordinator. Though he received offers to leave the program for other coaching positions, Skalaski remained with Liberty until 2012. He left and became an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, he returned to Liberty in 2014, he moved to Eastern Kentucky the next year and then wound up in Charlotte in time for the 2016 season.

“I had the chance to go to a couple of really big programs, but I just didn’t feel like the head coach and I had the same philosophy about mentoring people,” Skalaski said. “That’s the big reason why I’m here is because I know Coach Lambert and I know how he feels about developing young men. I’m a big believer in whole-person development. I’m going to push you to be the best you can be academically, athletically, socially and if you so choose, spiritually. I know Coach Lambert feels the same way, so it’s been great.”

Winding up at Charlotte was “totally a God thing” for Skalaski.

The character of the coaches already in the Queen City led to Skalaski further investigating the program as a viable job option. Dean Hood, who left the Charlotte program after the 2016 season, had worked previously with Skalaski at Eastern Kentucky. Hood was the one who put Skalaski on the radar for the 49ers coaching staff.

“I knew about Coach Lambert and the type of man he was and I knew about Coach Hood and the type of man he was, and said if those guys are invested in this, then it might be something worth looking into. I said I’ll do this for a year and let’s see where the chips fall. Lo and behold, I did it for a year and the opportunity arose for me to stay here,” Skalaski said.

After working as an analyst in the 2016 season, Skalaski is now the special teams coordinator for the 49ers. It isn’t just his passion for the game that causes Skalaski to love his job – it is the platform his profession provides to shape young men.

“I love football, I love X’s and O’s, but what I really love is being a mentor and having a positive sphere of influence on young men. It’s really a chance for me to pay it forward.”

]]>http://ninertimes.com/2017/09/a-life-of-significance/feed/157571Sunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. (Photo by Sam Roberts)Charlrlie Skalaski on the sidelines against Eastern Michigan. Photo courtesy of Charlotte AthleticsSunday at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. (Photo by Sam Roberts)Charlie Skalaski on the sidelines of the Spring Game. Photo courtesy of Charlotte AthleticsPreview: Lambert returns to Kansas State, looks for first win in 2017http://ninertimes.com/2017/09/preview-lambert-returns-to-kansas-state-looks-for-first-win-in-2017/
Fri, 08 Sep 2017 16:00:26 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=57545

T.L. Ford II after a play last season. NT File Photo

Brad Lambert and the Charlotte 49ers hit the road to the Little Apple — Manhattan, Kansas — to take on Lambert’s alma mater No. 19 Kansas State on Saturday, Sept. 9. After losing to Eastern Michigan, 24-7, the Niners are still seeking their first victory of the 2017 season.

Though this will be the first time Charlotte will face Kansas State, the 49ers have had prior experience against power conference opponents including Kentucky and Louisville. The Niners will enter into a hostile environment this weekend, Kansas State has sold out 34 straight games. Kickoff is scheduled for noon eastern time, or 11 a.m. local time. The game can be viewed on Fox Sports Network or heard on the radio on 730 AM.

Last time out

Last week Kansas State defeated Central Arkansas 55-19 in their season opener. Though the game turned into a blowout, the Wildcats were locked in a 10-10 tie with the Bears at the conclusion of the first quarter. The tie was short lived, as a 28-point second frame for K-State secured their victory. Kansas State forced three turnovers, two fumbles and an interception, during the contest. They also only had six penalties for 58 yards.

The Wildcats finished the game with 186 yards on the ground and 333 yards in the air. The squad posted seven touchdowns in their victory: two rushing, four passing and one punt return. They also added two field goals. Kansas State did not punt during the contest.

Charlotte fell 24-7 to Eastern Michigan last Friday. The Niners posted 166 rushing yards and 119 passing yards. Penalties were the downfall for the 49ers, they had 11 penalties for 103 yards.

The 49ers lone TD came when Hasaan Klugh connected with Trent Bostick for a 21-yard catch in the first quarter. Charlotte fell victim to four turnovers in the game: three interceptions and one fumble.

Kansas State scouting report

The nationally ranked Kansas State team finished the 2016 season by making their seventh straight bowl appearance in the Texas Bowl against Texas A&M. The Wildcats came away victorious, defeating the Aggies 33-28. K-State is one of just 21 of the FBS schools that have gone seven consecutive bowl games.

Senior QB Jesse Ertz earned the starting job in 2016, playing in all 13 games. He racked up 1,012 rushing yards and 1,755 passing yards for a total of 2,767 yards last season. With his four passing touchdowns last weekend, Ertz tied the school record.

There are a lot of targets for the QB. All four of the passing touchdowns against Central Arkansas were to different receivers. Two WR’s, Bryon Pringle and Isaiah Harris, accumulated over 100 yards and Dalton Schoen finished with 70 yards last week. additionally, four running backs had over 25 yards in the contest.

In the 2016 season, Kansas State out-scored opponents 95-54 in the first quarter and 248-137 at the conclusion of the first half. The Wildcats are 148-24 when scoring first in a game under head coach Bill Snyder.

Charlotte scouting report

Though the 49ers were defeated last week, we still saw a glimpse of what we could expect this season from the Niners.

Hasaan Klugh lived up to his dual-threat capabilities, leading the team with a 114 passing yards and a career-high 101 rushing yards last week.

In his first career start, Jeff Gemmell led the defense with 14 tackles. The 14 take downs match a 49er record for tackles against an FBS team. Senior Karrington King is two tackles away from matching Larry Ogunjobi’s career tackles. King has 215 career tackles, Ogunjobi has 217. Ed Rolle got back into his groove, collecting an interception in the season-opener. The redshirt junior was tied for the most interceptions on the team for the 2016 season with three.

After taking a year off due to a concussion, wide receiver Trent Bostick made his presence known on the field. Bostick led the receiving corps with 34 yards and one touchdown. Workpeh Kofa, Mark Quattlebaum and T.L. Ford II all had at least 20 yards.

After having an 8-15 record on the road, Charlotte is looking to return to the Queen City with their first win of the season.

]]>5754525336343569_5acb3583cd_oBack at it - After redshirting last season, Trent Bostick returns to the field for the 49ershttp://ninertimes.com/2017/09/back-at-it/
Fri, 01 Sep 2017 15:00:25 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=57410

Trent Bostick makes his way to the endzone during the Spring Game. NT File Photo

This time last season the players for the 49ers were prepping to hit the road and take on a nationally-ranked Louisville team. Everyone that is, except senior Trent Bostick.

A concussion in practice in the week leading up to the season opener prevented Bostick from making the trip to Kentucky. He wouldn’t just miss the first game, Bostick would not see the field at all for the 2016 season.

“It really wasn’t as bad as I thought it was until we actually sat down,” Bostick said. “It was around week five that I realized I was going to be done for the season.”

Bostick was the only true freshman to start in every game during the inaugural season, he finished that first season with 594 yards. During his sophomore season, Bostick was second on the team with 33 catches that created 365 yards and two touchdowns. In the 2015 season, he completed 32 catches for 457 yards and three touchdowns.

The stage had been set for a stellar senior season for Bostick. The concussion and the redshirt year caused a delay in his playing. Though it was necessary for his health, watching from the sidelines wasn’t an easy experience for Bostick.

“Watching those guys, it was heart breaking to me because I wanted to be out there with them. I knew AJ and Coach Lambert they had my best interest in heart and they were going to make sure I was the best person that I can,” Bostick said.

Though it was a difficult decision, head coach Brad Lambert knows redshirting Bostick was the best decision for his health.

“We missed him last year, it was unfortunate last year but we really didn’t have any choice. We’ve got to protect the guys and concussions are something we just don’t fool around with. We thought it was better,” Lambert said.

With 2016 meant to be Bostick’s final year at college, there was speculation as to whether or not he would return to the field for a final season. The passion Bostick has for the game of football is what lured him back for one more season sporting the green and gold.

“I have love for the game. I was hearted a little bit with my injury, but everything happens for a reason. I thank God that he’s put me back in a position where I can be back on the field and in pads,” Bostick said.

After deciding to use his redshirt year and comeback this season, Bostick drew from faith and determination and prepared himself to return better than he left.

“I had to keep my best interest at heart and make sure I was the best person I could be in how I was feeling, to come back for the team,” Bostick said. “I was just making sure when I came back on to the field I was at 100 percent.”

Bostick entered the program during the inaugural season alongside players like Kalif Phillips, Austin Duke and Larry Ogunjobi. The group, dubbed the “inaugural class” grew in the program together. It was hard for Bostick to watch the group leave without him, he knew that his time would come to take the field again.

“It was really up to God’s grace, I had faith throughout the whole process, especially my senior year seeing a lot of guys that I played with from my freshman year up till then watching them play and leave and I’m here. Not as a bad thing, but I miss those guys like Austin and Kalif,” Bostick said. “I just have faith and stay with the process. This is where I’m at now and I’m thankful for it.”

As he returned to the field during the spring and the offseason, Bostick felt very little apprehension jumping back into the water.

“The only thing I wanted to see, as far as myself, was how I was going to perform after I was tackled, how I felt after I was tackled. Really nothing has changed, nothing is different,” Bostick said. “The only apprehension I can say that will probably hold me back is myself and I’ve just made sure that I stay focused.”

Bostick isn’t the only one who was excited for his return to the field. Lambert has enjoyed seeing him back practicing with the team.

“It’s really nice to have him back, he’s made some really big plays for us in the spring and throughout the August camp. He’s a hard-working guy, he’s a physical guy. He brings a real physical presence to our offense from a blocking standpoint. It’s good to have him back,” Lambert said.

With 1,416 career receiving yards, Bostick is positioned in second place behind former player Austin Duke for total career receiving yards. He is also second to Duke in the career receiving TD’s category with nine. The Spring Game was his first appearance back in front of Niner Nation and Bostick led the receiving corps with five catches for 65 yards.

“It feels so great to be back. I can’t wait till I actually come off the plane and see we’re actually here. After a year of not playing, I’m back at it,” Bostick said. “I can’t explain it, it’s just something that I feel I’ve been waiting for. I’m better than what I was coming in from last year to now.”

]]>57410Football: Green & White Spring Game, 4/23, Chris Crews, DSC_1140Trent Bostick makes his way to the endzone during the Spring Game. NT File PhotoPreview: Charlotte opens season at Eastern Michigan - Before football kicks off, find out some more info on the first week's matchuphttp://ninertimes.com/2017/08/preview-charlotte-opens-season-at-eastern-michigan/
Thu, 31 Aug 2017 15:00:33 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=57314

The Charlotte 49ers open the 2017 football season on the road Friday, Sept. 1 in Ypsilanti, Mich. where they are set to take on Eastern Michigan. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be viewed on ESPN3 or be found on the radio on ESPN 730.

Charlotte holds a 3-1 record in season openers, but Eastern Michigan has the 1-0 advantage in the series record.

Take a trip down memory lane

This won’t be the first time Charlotte will see the Eagles — the 49ers squared off with Easteren Michigan last season and fell, 37-19. Despite the score, the 49ers were in tight competion with the Green and White. Eastern Michigan finished the game with 357 total yards (72 rushing/285 passing) while the 49ers had 356 total yards (157 rushing/199 passing).

The 49ers had trouble converting on third downs during the game, being successful on only eight of their 20 third down conversions. Charlotte, however, was successful on their fourth down conversions, gaining first downs on three of their four attempts.

Turnovers proved to be the downfall for the 49ers, with Eastern Michigan capitalizing and creating 21 points off of turnovers during the contest. This included two interceptions for 57 yards and a touchdown.

Hasaan Klugh entered the game in the third quarter with the Niners down 34-6. Klugh made quick work and threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to Workpeh Kofa and TL Ford II. The connection with Kofa for a touchdown was Klugh’s first TD in his career. The now starting QB finished the game going 9-for-15 with 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Sophomore running back Robert Washington had a 121-yard performance against the Eagles last year with 20 carries on the game.

The opposition

After going 7-6 last seaon, Eastern Michigan traveled to the Bahamas to face Old Dominion in the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. The Eagles lost, 24-20, to ODU.

Eastern Michigan retained a strong core from their team last season. There are 17 starters overall that will be back on the field — eight on offense, eight on defense and one special teams member. In all, there are 52 lettermen on the roster for the Eagles.

Included in the returning players for Eastern Michigan are five of the top six rushers and eight of the top nine receivers from last season. Two of those starters includes top rusher Ian Eriksen who averaged 70 yards per game and nine touchdowns and top receiver Sergio Bailey II who finished the 2016 season with 868 yards and seven touchdowns.

Helming the offense is QB Brogan Roback. Roback has 5,463 career yards and 36 passing touchdowns in his career as well. The redshirt senior’s name was mentioned on a preseason watchlist for the Senior Bowl.

This is a big game for the Eagle’s head coach, Chris Creighton, as he is searching for his 150th career win.

The boys are back

Since missing their bowl berth with a 4-8 record last season, Charlotte enters their fifth season of football looking to continue the program’s firsts by ending this season in a bowl game.

Though losing the inagural class last season, Charlotte is still ready to compete with 15 promising starters returning. On the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers welcome back Workpeh Kofa who led the team with five receiving touchdowns last season. Coming back on the defense are Ed Rolle and Anthony Covington. Rolle shared the team lead for the most interceptions with three. Covington led the squad last season with 10 pass breakups.

Senior Karrington King will be looking to eclipse the record set by Larry Ogunjobi. King needs 13 tackles to pass the career tackle record set by Ogunjobi of 217. TL Ford II is close to entering the record books as well. The wide receiver only needs 87 yards to have 1,000 career yards, becoming the third Niner to do so.

Hasaan Klugh returns to the field to Charlotte ready to lead the offense. The redshirt junior QB finished last season with 426 rushing yards and 1356 passing yards after earning the starter job in mid-October.

When she was a child, Judy Rose dreamed of coaching women’s basketball and teach physical education.

Fast forward to current day and Rose now occupies a spacious office overlooking Halton Arena and has been the athletic director for Charlotte for 27 years now. The Blacksburg, S.C. native has seen the 49ers through three conference changes, numerous facility expansions and the addition of football, all after becoming just the third women athletic director at the helm of a Division I program.

Rose began her coaching career when she went to graduate school at the University of Tennessee after earning a degree in physical education from Winthrop.

With Title IX passing a few years prior, women’s athletics on the NCAA front were still in the baby stages. This opened the door for Rose to become an assistant coach during her time as a graduate student under first-year head coach Pat Summitt. Joining the two on the coaching staff was another graduate student, Sylvia Hatchel, who went on to become the head coach at UNC.

“Now that told you they were putting no emphasis on women’s athletics because they have three graduate students being the coaches,” Rose said. “All of us had played college ball, but none of us had coached.”

In 1975, the year Rose graduated from UT, the office of civil rights threatened to defund any school that failed to support women’s programs. Now instead of the high school level, Rose and her women counterparts went on to secure collegiate coaching positions.

“When I got the opportunity to go straight to the college level, I felt so blessed and so fortunate,” Rose said.

While only in graduate school for one year, the trio formed a life-long bond that helped as they went down different avenues of their lives. The three, along with another graduate student Susan Phillips, stayed in contact long after they turned the tassels on graduate school.

“It was one of those friendships, you knew you could count on the four of us if any of us needed something,” Rose said. “We were all so close after that one year. It’s interesting, when you play on a team and play a sport, you’re so connected to the people. I was on my high school basketball team, my college basketball team. But this group in grad school was so tight, we just all respected each other so much.”

In her pursuit of a job, Rose was offered the coaching position for women’s basketball at Francis-Marion and Wingate. With the low-priority placed on women’s athletics, to coach basketball, she would have to fulfill other duties within schools including managing sororities or acting as a dorm mother.

After declining the jobs at Francis-Marion and Wingate, Rose interviewed at Charlotte. In addition to coaching women’s basketball, Rose was responsible for coaching tennis. Rose joined the 49er family in 1975 and has been with the school ever since.

“I feel very blessed because I look at what I was hired to do, then I look at the opportunities that were made available to me,” Rose said.

After being the women’s basketball coach for five years, Rose became the assistant Athletic Director, she was promoted in 1985 to the associate AD. Eventually, Rose had the option: continue to coach basketball or move toward an administrative role.

“It was a hard choice for me, very hard. I thought I would be better long-term in administration. I’m very detail-oriented and I want everything to be nice and everyone to have what they need. I didn’t want to just focus on basketball 24/7, and you have to do that if you’re on the college level,” Rose said.

Upon deciding to shift over to the full-time administrative position, Rose made sure that she was supervising both men and women’s athletics.

“I insisted, once I went on the administrative end, that I didn’t just want to oversee women’s athletics. I wanted to do both men’s and women’s. I don’t know if it was some kind of epiphany, I don’t know why I did that. But I’m glad I did because it didn’t allow me to be cubby-holed in that regard,” Rose said.

In 1990, a mandate from the NCAA stated that football and men’s basketball coaches could not pull double duty and be athletic directors as well. At the time, Jeff Mullins was serving as both the men’s basketball coach and athletic director for Charlotte. After working with Rose for five years, Mullins decided to stick with coaching and recommended she get the AD job.

Upon being informed of the recommendation by Mullins, Rose had mixed feelings on whether she was the right person for the job. In addition to never hiring a men’s basketball coach – at the time the biggest sport on campus – Rose also did not know of any other women that were in her situation.

“I didn’t know if I wanted it. I didn’t know another female athletic director, I had never been around one,” Rose said.

Despite her hesitations, Rose accepted the Athletic Directors position, becoming only the third women athletic director overseeing a Division I program. She continued to break the glass ceiling when, in 2000, she became the first woman to serve on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee.

“It was the best professional experience I have ever had, bar none. I’ve served on loads of NCAA committees, but the bonding that takes place on that. They accepted me, there was never any question. They accepted me as equal on that committee,” Rose said.

In 2001, Rose was named the NACDA Southeast Region Athletic Director of the Year. Some of her other accomplishments as athletic director include raising money to build Halton Arena, Miltimore-Wallis Athletic Training Center, Irwin Belk Track and Field Center and the Wachovia Fieldhouse.

The first of her greatest accomplishments, according to Rose, was the new logo. Jim Woodward was the chancellor when Rose began her logo-changing crusade. He repeatedly shot down the idea, and it wasn’t until two baseball players were drafted and the newspaper said they attended “North Carolina” instead of “Charlotte” that he okayed the idea. A firm was hired and the new athletic logos were designed.

Her other greatest contribution to Charlotte has been the addition of football. A trend was starting across America where schools without football programs were becoming irrelevant, and Rose did not want the 49ers to fade into the background. After trying to convince three different chancellors to add the new sport, Philip Dubois finally greenlighted the project and the pigskin made its way to the Queen City.

“Football has changed this university,” Rose said. “One of the best things football has done for us is awareness and branding. I have never seen so much of our logo [at the inaugural spring game], it was unbelievable.”

During her time as the AD, 49er athletics have prospered. 14 of the 16 teams either secured a league title or received a berth for an NCAA tournament or both. In the classroom, Charlotte athletes have a cumulative GPA of over 3.0 for seven consecutive years. While Charlotte has been successful under Rose’s reign, she wants to see the teams become even better.

“The fan base is hard to satisfy, we all want to win. We’ve got to provide a product that they can get excited by. I want us to be successful in Conference USA. I want us to be more competitive so we’re in post-season play,” Rose said.

Rose’s influence doesn’t stop at the student-athletes. She has also made an impact on coaches like Cara Consuegra.

“Working for Judy has been, for me, probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. When I took over here I was a 32-year-old head coach. It was really important for me that I worked for someone that could also be a mentor,” Consuegra said. “That’s what I think is so special about Judy, is she is our leader and everybody knows that, but she also has a heart for mentoring and helping.”

Though she’s been acting as the Athletic Director for the 49ers for nearly 30 years, Rose still gets out of bed excited for work every morning. Part of the excitement comes from following student-athletes after they’ve graduated.

“I love what I do,” Rose said. “I cannot imagine getting up for work every day and not wanting to go. Probably the best part for me is seeing how we bring student-athletes in as freshman and when they graduate, how much they have matured in that time period. The maturation process of when they come in, and then following them through their careers.”

]]>http://ninertimes.com/2017/08/life-through-rose-colored-glasses/feed/157078DSC_0521PAthletic Director Judy Rose in her office overlooking Halton Arena. Photo by Chris CrewsMen’s soccer returns to the field - With 7 starters back, the men's soccer team is ready to return to the NCAA tournamenthttp://ninertimes.com/2017/08/mens-soccer-returns-to-the-field/
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 03:24:19 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=57093

Daniel Bruce goes for the ball in against Virginia Tech in the second round of the NCAA tournament. NT File Photo

For the past two seasons, the men’s soccer program has fallen in the second round of the NCAA tournament. This season, they look to break their trend and that pursuit begins on Aug. 15 when the squad plays the first of their two exhibition games.

As the new season begins, junior Callum Montgomery keeps the Niners’ shortened tourney runs in the back of his mind to serve as motivation.

“The last two seasons are lingering a little bit, both seasons we’ve gotten stuck in the second round. I try not to think about that too much and just focus on this season. A big goal for me is to make that third round, so that’s what we’re going to be working for every day,” Montgomery said.

The team starts their season with official practices starting on Thursday, though the NCAA tournament is a priority for the squad, for head coach Kevin Langan it shouldn’t remain a focal point for the whole season.

“It’s never granted to make the NCAA, we have to work extremely hard to get there. Everyone starts at the start line. We have a lot of huge games, a lot of sessions, a lot of miles to run,” Langan said. “It’s very important to set goals, it’s very important to know the purpose of why we’re all here and what we want to do, but that’s it. You mention it, you talk about it, you make affirmations at the start, then you just go to work every single day.”

After the second exhibition game on Aug. 19 in High Point, the 49ers kick off their regular season campaign Aug. 26, hosting Winthrop. Their slate includes seven teams that played in the NCAA tournament last season: Coastal Carolina, Clemson, Radford, Louisville, South Carolina, New Mexico and Kentucky. A challenging schedule isn’t anything new for the Niners, but after his experience last season, Daniel Bruce doesn’t pay attention to the rank of an opponent.

“We’ve wasted time before looking at the schedule, looking at the fixtures and thinking ‘oh this will be a tough game, this will be a hard one.’ We went away at Clemson and beat them 1-0, then came home and drew a 1-1 to App State last year,” Bruce said. “So it’s a waste of time to look at teams and think ‘oh it’ll be hard,’ you’ve just got to come out, it’s 90 minutes, 11 against 11, and just see what you can do and hopefully pull out a win.”

The team returns seven starters from last season and welcomes 12 new names to the roster. With spots needing to be filled, the novice Niners will be vying for the open positions heading to the preseason practices.

“There are open spots they know they’ll be fighting for. I expect this preseason to have perhaps more of an edge in training than it has in the past, not because the past was lacking, but there are some real clear open spaces that people will be fighting for which I’m excite by. Once you get that in training, that real competitive edge in training, it translates to the field real easy,” Langan said.

One of the seven players returning includes goalkeeper Elliot Panicco, who received the Conference USA Golden Glove Award as well as being named the C-USA Freshman of the Year last season. Also back on the field is Montgomery who was named to the second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American team as well as to the C-USA All-Academic team for the 2016 season. Tommy Madden will be back to help the team in the midfield position. Madden was named to the C-USA All-Tournament team last season and started in all 18 games.

Sporting the number 10 jersey this season for the 49ers is junior Bruce. In soccer, the 10 jersey is reserved for the most valuable person on the field, they set the tempo for the team. Bruce had six goals and two assists last season. His six goals was second on the team. He also garnered a C-USA Offensive Player of the Week nod after being responsible for the game-winning goal for the Niners road win against No. 3 Clemson.

“Having that notion of freedom that you can go forward or go back and having that role on the field to keep things together, keep things gelled, keep things flowing, it’s a lot to have on your shoulders, but it’s always an honor to wear as well,” Bruce said.

Along with skills on the field, the returning players bring back a character that Langan feels will help to influence the team off the field as well.

“There’s a really good core, a really good spine back of not just phenomenal players with great college resumes behind them, but really top-class student-athletes with great integrity, great humility. So they’re going to really lead the group well, we know that,” Langan said.

The 49ers can be seen in action on Aug. 15 with an exhibition game against Winthrop at 7 p.m. They begin the regular season on Aug. 26, hosting Winthrop at TransAmerica Field.

]]>5709330322999144_388f43d382_oDaniel Bruce goes for the ball in against Virginia Tech in the second round of the NCAA tournament. NT File PhotoPreseason hopes - After a successful 2016 season, Charlotte women's soccer has high expectations for 2017http://ninertimes.com/2017/08/preseason-hopes/
Thu, 03 Aug 2017 14:31:42 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=56998

Women’s soccer has set the bar high for themselves. The squad was crowned the Conference USA champions after winning the tournament in Charlotte last season, then went on to compete in their first NCAA tournament under head coach John Cullen. Though the group was knocked out in the first round by Duke, it left the girls with a hunger to return to the tournament in the 2017 season.

“To get there was an achievement and we were proud of that, but the consensus right there, within an hour of the game finishing, was that we wanted to be back there again. We don’t want to be a one-and-done kind of team,” Cullen said.

The team begins its tournament run on Aug. 7 with an exhibition game against Georgia State at 7 p.m. at Transamerica field. They then travel up to Virginia Tech on Aug. 12 to play their second exhibition game of the season.

“It’ll be really exciting. Exhibition matches are really important, they kind of define how your season is going to go,” senior Martha Thomas said. “It’s an opportunity to show what you can do for the rest of the season.”

After the two exhibition matches, the 49ers begin their regular season with a treacherous non-conference slate. The team will face foes including USF, Georgia, Wake Forest and East Carolina, all teams who were competitive during their conference tournaments in 2016. The difficult lineup isn’t a new sight for the Charlotte team, however. They faced a similar task last season, facing opponents such as South Carolina and UNC.

“We’re really up against it, but that’s what really helped us last year. We pushed ourselves and played teams like North Carolina, South Carolina, and learned more about ourselves. Those kinds of games are great prep games for our conference games. But overall the non-conference games are very challenging, but when you win something that’s what you want to do to test yourselves,” Cullen said.

The core of the 49ers will return to the field this season. Thomas will kick off her senior campaign this season after being awarded the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year award last season. Also returning is the 2016 Freshman of the Year, Megan Greene. Riley Orr, who made the C-USA Freshman team along with Greene, will be back in action as well.

In addition to the familiar faces, Charlotte added eight new signees and one transfer player to their roster. Many of the newcomers will be seen in the backfield as two of them are goalkeepers and four are defenders. The exhibition games will be the first time for the new players to get a taste for what Charlotte soccer is about.

“The quicker we can get them on the field, in front of the 49er fans, wearing that 49ers jersey, that’s what their dreams are about, what their hopes are. Then once the regular season comes around they feel a little more comfortable in that setting and a little bit more as a player in the group,” Cullen said.

While the Conference Championship last season will serve as motivation for the group going forward, Cullen makes sure to not dwell too long in the past.

“I think most of this sport is self-belief and mentality so they know it is within them. As we’ve reminded them constantly since that day has ended that that’s history,” Cullen said. ”That trophy is gathering dust and we’ve got to go win another trophy.”

]]>5699830444515730_5cd7df11d3_oMartha Thomas moves around WKU defenders in the conference tournament last season. NT File PhotoJarrett to join Nichting in Baltimore - On the final day of the MLB Draft, Jarrett becomes an Oriole http://ninertimes.com/2017/06/jarrett-to-join-nichting-in-baltimore/
Thu, 15 Jun 2017 03:51:33 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=56378

Zach Jarrett is greeted at the plate after a home run. Photo by Chris Crews

In the 28th round of the 2017 MLB Draft Zach Jarrett is set to join T.J. Nichting with the Baltimore Orioles. Jarrett was the only 49er to go in the final day of the draft, to cap off an impressive draft for Charlotte. The four Niners selected by pro teams ties the school record, occuring last in 2008.

Jarrett was ranked within the top ten players in Conference USA after tallying 83 hits in the 2017 season. 14 of those 83 hits left the ballpark, ranking Jarrett fifth in the conference for home runs. The Hickory, N.C. native collected three of those home runs in the contest against UAB on April 29.

On the field, the outfielder only had two errors on his senior season and 123 putouts, contributing to a .985 fielding percentage.

During his junior season, Jarrett started in all 55 games. He finished with a .248 average including four homeruns. The 2015 started with Jarrett knocking the first home run for the Niners of the season and had a starting roll in all 55 of the games played.

In his first four plate appearances in the 49er jersey as a freshman, Jarrett recorded a double and three straight base knocks, finishing the season with a .248 batting average.

The MLB Draft has concluded, but eligible Charlotte players can still be picked up by a team via free agency.

]]>56378Baseball-vs-UNCA, 3/14, Chris Crews, DSC_4591Zach Jarrett is greeted at the plate after a home run. Photo by Chris CrewsNichting goes to the Orioles - In a monumental day for the 49ers in the draft, outfielder becomes third player selectedhttp://ninertimes.com/2017/06/nichting-goes-to-the-orioles/
http://ninertimes.com/2017/06/nichting-goes-to-the-orioles/#commentsTue, 13 Jun 2017 22:31:48 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=56357

T.J. Nichting on the bases against LA Tech. Photo by Chris Crews

In the ninth round of the MLB Draft T.J. Nichting was taken by the Baltimore Orioles, adding to the list of 49ers taken in the draft Tuesday afternoon.

The senior outfielder was second in Conference-USA in the batting average category, stouting a .367 at the conclusion of the 2017 season. Nichting recorded 92 hits, 15 doubles, four triples and five home runs. The Ohio native is responsible for 51 RBI and 61 runs himself. Nichting was second in the conference with 17 stolen bases this season.

In his junior season, Nichting was named to the NCCSIA All-State Second Team after hitting .358 and 33 RBI. He also led the conference with 22 doubles.

During the 2015 campaign Nichting had nine multi-hit games. He led the team in doubles with 16 and finished fourth on the team in hits with 38.

In his first season with the 49ers, Nichting hit .283 during his 51 games played and was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team as well as named the Team MVP.

The MLB Draft continues Tuesday and will conclude on Wednesday.

]]>http://ninertimes.com/2017/06/nichting-goes-to-the-orioles/feed/156357Baseball-vs-LA Tech, 3/24, Chris Crews, DSC_5793T.J. Nichting on the bases against LA Tech. Photo by Chris CrewsLaws to the Blue Jays - The pitcher becomes the second 49er to be taken in the 2017 MLB Drafthttp://ninertimes.com/2017/06/laws-to-the-blue-jays/
Tue, 13 Jun 2017 21:50:55 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=56347

Colton Laws delivers a pitch against Xavier. Photo by Chris Crews

Colton Laws became the second Charlotte player to be taken in the MLB Draft Tuesday afternoon when the Toronto Blue Jays selected the pitcher in the seventh round, 219th pick overall.

The right-handed starter led Conference-USA in ERA after the 2017 season with a 1.87, throwing 96.1 innings, allowing 20 earned runs and fanning 94 batters. He was also the only pitcher in the conference to not hit a batter during the 2017 season.

In 13 of the redshirt sophomore’s 15 starts, Laws recorded a quality start, going six innings or more while earning no more than three runs. Laws also threw a complete game in the 5-0 win over UTSA in the C-USA Championships on May 25, which capped off his 7-2 season.

The ECU transfer made his 49er debut in the 2016 season where he had 15 appearances and 10 starts. In his first season with Charlotte, Laws made 15 appearances and 10 starts. He earned the role of the Saturday starter in mid-March. He came out of his inagural season with a 4-3 record and one save to his name.

The MLB draft continues through Tuesday evening and concludes Wednesday.

Brett Netzer celebrates after his walk-off home run against Wake Forest last season. NT File Photo

Brett Netzer became the fourth highest 49er taken in the MLB draft on Tuesday afternoon when he was selected in the third round, 101st pick overall, by the Boston Red Sox. Netzer is the first player selected this season from Conference USA.
Netzer finished the 2017 season with a .342 batting average that included 16 doubles, four triples and five home runs. The junior racked up 44 RBI this past season and 119 total bases. His 84 hits this season was a team-high and the seventh most in the conference.
The South Carolina native led the team in on-base percentage, boasting a .425 and crossed home plate 50 times, second on the team.
On the field Netzer assisted in turning 28 double plays and 108 put outs to help give the second basemen a .947 fielding percentage.
Netzer was catching people’s eyes before the 2017 season began, being tabbed as a third-team Preseason All American by Collegiate Baseball.
In his sophomore season with the Niners, Netzer led the team with a .384 average. He also recorded a team-best 47 runs.During his first season in Charlotte, Netzer was named to C-USA’s All-Freshman team team after hitting .318 on the season.
The MLB Draft continues Tuesday and concludes with the final rounds on Wednesday afternoon.

]]>56338Baseball-vs-Wake Forest, 3/16, Chris Crews, DSC_8020Brett Netzer celebrates after his walk-off home run against Wake Forest last season. NT File PhotoTournament time - After finishing within the top five in conference, it's time for the 49ers to take on the tournamenthttp://ninertimes.com/2017/05/tournament-time/
Mon, 22 May 2017 15:35:55 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=56155

Though classes are out for the summer, the baseball team is still hard at work. After sweeping Marshall in the final weekend of the regular season, the team qualified for the Conference USA tournaments.

Baseball finished the season tied for third in a competitive C-USA, earning a four-seed behind Southern Miss, ODU and FAU. The team touts a 32-22 overall record and an 18-12 conference record. The squad enteres tournament play on a four-game winning streak.

Charlotte will face a five-seed Louisiana Tech in the opening round of the tournament Wednesday evening.

Entering the tournament, the 49er offense has hit its stride. After Saturday’s 18-hit performance, the Niners have gone six straight games with double-digits in the hits column.

When Charlotte squared up with LA Tech in the regular season, the Niners took two out of the three games. Since joining C-USA in the 2014 season, Charlotte has the advantage of 9-4 in the all-time matchups between the two teams.

Last year in the C-USA Tournament, however, it was the Bulldogs that knocked Charlotte out of the tournament after defeating the 49ers 13-3.

Charlotte looks to extend a stellar season in the tournament. Their first game in the two-game elimination style contest is Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. central time in Biloxi, MS.

]]>56155Baseball-vs-NC A&T, 4/11, Chris Crews, DSC_7531Zach Jarrett is congratulated by teammate Reece Hampton. Photo by Chris CrewsA year in review - After a crazy year in Charlotte sports, take a look back at some of the highlights for the teamshttp://ninertimes.com/2017/05/a-year-in-review/
Tue, 02 May 2017 14:49:08 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=55877

Photos by Chris Crews, Ben Coon and Katelynn Pennington

The 2016-2017 school year was one for the books for Charlotte athletics. Take a look back at some of the highlights for the various teams.

Football

Entering into the 2016 season, the Charlotte 49ers’ football team had a 10-game losing streak on their backs. This was extended to 11 games after falling 70-14 against a No. 19 ranked Louisville team.

Charlotte remembered how it felt to win against Elon, posting a season-high 47 points against the Phoenix. The 49ers also collected their first conference wins since joining Conference USA in the 2015 season. The Niners went on to finish 4-8 overall, 3-3 in conference and were two wins away from being bowl bound in their first season eligible.

Women’s Soccer

For the fifth time in program history, the Charlotte women’s soccer team made an appearance in the NCAA tournament after winning the C-USA championship. The 49ers were the underdogs of the conference tournament, coming in a six seed. They then went on to be defeated by a No. 14 Duke team in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The team had an impressive performance in the conference awards. Martha Thomas made first team all-conference, the rising senior was also named Offensive Player of the Year. Freshmen Megan Greene and Riley Orr made the conference freshmen team. Greene was also named the Freshman of the Year.

Men’s Soccer

The men’s soccer team entered the national rankings after the third week of the season, and they never left. The 49ers could be seen within the top 10 teams of the nation for multiple weeks throughout their season.

The regular-season C-USA champs made the first round of the NCAA tournament, however their run was cut short by Virginia Tech.

The squad graduated an impressive class who has gone on to continue their soccer careers. Brandt Bronico, Matej Dekovic and Maxi Rodriguez can all be seen playing soccer at the MLS level across the country.

Men’s Basketball

There were two sides of the ball for the men’s basketball team. On the offensive side, the 49ers placed fourth in the conference for scoring offense, averaging 76.5 points per game. The Niners were second in 3-point field goal percentage and in free throw percentage. Jon Davis had another great season, recording two buzzer beaters for the 49ers: one at home against ODU and another one at UTSA He finished second in conference for scoring, averaging 19.6 points per game.

As for the defense goes, the 49ers struggled all season to fill the void of rebound machine Joseph Uchebo. Charlotte finished dead last in offensive rebounds and second to last in defensive rebounds. The Niners were out-rebounded by, on average, 7.5 rebounds a game.

Women’s Basketball

The 2016-17 season was a record-breaking one for the women’s basketball program. Head Coach Cara Consuegra recorded her 100th career win for the Niners. The senior duo of Lefty Webster and Ciara Gregory both entered the 1,000 point club in their final season with the Niners.

Webster also finished with the most career minutes played. Webster and Raventos combined to tie for the most assists in program history with 298.

Gregory broke almost every record regarding 3-pointers this past season including the C-USA single-season record for 3-pointers made and the program record for career, single-season and single-game 3-pointers made.

Baseball

Coming into the 2017 season, the Charlotte baseball program touted the most difficult schedule in program history. So far this season the 49ers have posted three wins against nationally-ranked opponents. Senior T.J. Nichting has flourished into one of the top hitters in the country.

Currently the squad sits at first place in conference for fielding and second place for batting and pitching – behind Southern Miss in both categories. The team is looking to make their first regional appearance since 2011.

Softball

The dynamic duo of Haley Pace and Haley Wiseman have dominated on the diamond for the Charlotte softball squad.

Wiseman threw the first perfect game for the program since the 1998 season in the Feb. 24 contest against Robert Morris.

Pace sits within the top five in the conference standings for hitting, posting a .430 average that includes 10 doubles, 14 home runs and 41 RBI.

]]>55877Untitled-3Spring Game showcases growth - After weeks of practice, football puts on a show for Niner Nationhttp://ninertimes.com/2017/04/spring-game-showcases-growth/
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 16:56:54 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=55691

The two teams line up before the snap. Photo by Chris Crews

This past Saturday marked the fifth annual Spring Game for the Charlotte 49ers football program. It offered players a platform to show their improvements from the offseason. The game featured four quarters of the offense, in white, going against the defense, in green, using a modified scoring system.

While traditional points were awarded for touchdowns, PAT’s and field goals, points were also given to the White team for an explosive pass, an explosive run and for a first down. The Green team could earn points for forcing a turnover, creating a stop in the Red Zone, a three-and-out, a sack and a tackle for loss.

Head Coach Brad Lambert could be found right near the action on the field, watching the cumulation of players’ hard work pay off.

“This spring, really pleased with the way our guys have progressed. Tonight was a lot of fun. Overall, really pleased with the guys and how hard they played,” Lambert said.

The offense showed its depth during the game, rotating through three quarterbacks: Hasaan Klugh, Brooks Barden and Joe Thompson. Klugh and Barden showed off their arms, throwing for 93 and 61 yards respectively. In his debut Thompson made use of the running game and led the offense in rushing yards, averaging seven yards on his three carries while passing for 35 yards.

Trent Bostick came back onto the field after redshirting last season to complete five catches for 65 yards, leading the receiving corps. After Bostick, came Workpeh Kofa, registering four catches. He was followed by Nate Mullen with three and Uriah LeMay with two completions. The return to the lights was a welcomed experience for Bostick.

“I missed it. Being back on the field, I just appreciate it a lot more. Being out there with those guys and lining up beside them and I see the intensity in their eyes just makes me push forward and go forward,” Bostick said.

Akease Rankin kicked things off for the White team, scoring the first touchdown of the contest with a three-yard run during the first quarter. In the second quarter Robert Washington ended a six-yard run in the end zone. For the final TD of the game, Barden found tight end Ben Jacques for a seven-yard touchdown pass.

The White team posted 274 total offense yards, 189 coming from the air and 85 on the ground. They capitalized on five of their seven Red Zone opportunities.

On the defensive side of the ball Anthony Butler led the team with seven tackles, six of which were unassisted. Alex Highsmith was a close second, tallying six total tackles. The Green team registered 11 tackles for loss that totaled 40 yards.

Two positions that stood out to Lambert during the offseason were the offensive and defensive lines. As the fall draws closer, Lambert hopes to add some more depth to the slots.

“Those two positions are positions that we need to continue to build and get better,” Lambert said.

Overall Lambert feels that the 49ers’ football team is becoming prepared for their fall schedule. Lambert and his coaching staff have been pushing players this spring in an effort to build them up and create a stronger, more unified team.

“I like the way we’ve been working. We pushed on that. Our guys have responded from January all the way through. I’ve pushed them hard his spring and they’ve responded to that,” Lambert said.

The 49ers will open their season on the road as they travel to Eastern Michigan Sept. 1. Charlotte will open the home portion of their schedule a few weeks later on Sept. 16 when they host North Carolina A&T.

]]>55691Football Spring Game, 4/22, Chris Crews, DSC_1331The two teams line up before the snap. Photo by Chris CrewsThe Spring rush - Football practice is in full swing with the Spring Game on Saturdayhttp://ninertimes.com/2017/04/the-spring-rush/
Tue, 18 Apr 2017 16:46:41 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=55401

Players run during spring practice. Photo by Chris Crews

Spring practices have been going on since mid-March and are being topped off by the Spring game this Saturday, April 22. The game allows players the opportunity to gear up and show the fan base what they have been working on over the offseason.

From new coaches, a tough schedule and faces to watch for, here’s some of the things you need to know about the 49er’s upcoming season.

New Faces

Along with a new recruiting class, the program will welcome two new coaches to the team.

After the conclusion of the 2016 season, coaches Dean Hood and Joe Tereshinski both resigned. With the vacancies, there were switches among the coaching positions that left the offensive line and running backs without a coach.

Greg Adkins will join the 49ers as the offensive line coach. Brad Lambert and Adkins first met in West Virginia when the two worked for Marshall. In total, he has 25 years of coaching experience, including 11 years in the SEC, 12 bowl appearances and four NCAA Championship appearances.

Keith Henry will be supervising the running backs this season. Henry and Lambert got to know each other while they were coaching at Wake Forest. Prior to coming to the Niners, Henry was an assistant coach for three years at his alma mater Catawba College.

Schedule

In their first season with bowl eligibility, the 49ers were two games away from qualifying for the postseason after going 4-8 and collecting three wins within the conference portion of their schedule.

The lineup for the 2017 season won’t be a cake walk for the 49ers, featuring six teams that appeared in a bowl game last season.

The schedule also marks the first time in the FBS that the 49ers will play the final game of the season at home when they host Lane Kiffin and FAU on Nov. 25.

Who to watch

Hasaan Klugh has put in work during the offseason to return in the fall stronger and faster to solidify his role as a dual threat QB.

In the running game, freshmen Robert Washington and Ben Lemay showed last season that they could step up and replace the legs of Kalif Phillips, who recorded seven games with 100+ all purpose yards.

Washington broke out last year in the contest against Eastern Michigan, recording 120 rushing yards. The freshman ended the season second on the team in rushing, averaging 40 yards a game.

Lemay offers another option for the 49ers after finishing last season fourth in the rushing statistic behind Klugh.

The duo of T.L. Ford, II and Workpeh Kofa will return to the field this fall. The two were second and third, respectively, on the receiving stat line behind senior Austin Duke. Kofa led the team in receiving touchdowns with five last season while Ford II had four to his name.

On the defensive side of the ball, the 49ers return many playmakers.

Linebacker Karrington King will look to eclipse a mark set by Larry Ogunjobi for career tackles. King was second on the team last season in tackles with 73.

Two players, Ben DeLuca and Tyriq Harris, were named to the Conference USA All-Freshmen team after the 2016 season. DeLuca went on to be named a Pro Football Focus Freshman All-American.

DeLuca set a single season record for true freshmen after recording 68 tackles on the season. He also led the team in solo tackles last season with 51.

Harris was third on the team with 6.0 QB hurries and was tied for second after having 2.0 sacks. Harris had six games where he had five or more tackles.

]]>55401IMG_2632Players run during spring practice. Photo by Chris CrewsWhat’s in a song? - A look into why players choose their walk-up songs and fan's thoughts on their choice http://ninertimes.com/2017/04/whats-in-a-song/
Wed, 05 Apr 2017 01:32:50 +0000http://ninertimes.com/?p=55162For 15 seconds, a song defines a player.

A walk-up song serves to set the tone for a player’s at-bat, songs range from country to rap and everything in between. While the song is important, it’s more about getting into a groove for second baseman Brett Netzer.

“Routine is a big part of baseball, having a song that gets you into a routine and gets you into the right mindset before you hit is really important,” Netzer said.

As indicated by his slow Johnny Cash tune, freshman Zach Smith utilizes his song to keep his mind at ease when he steps into the box, saying a song is supposed to “keep you relaxed so you don’t make things too complicated.”

While T.J. Niching has switched his song from “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift to “Congratulations” by Post Malone, he notes that he doesn’t actually hear a lot of whatever song is playing as he walks up because he’s “locked in.”

Jackson Mims keeps it mellow going up to the plate with Red Hot Chili Peppers in the background. He said it’s important to “have good thoughts while you’re in the batter’s box.”

Reese Hampton uses his song to get into a rhythm prior to swinging the bat and Hunter Jones has kept the same walk-up for two years because it gets him “ready to go.”

While it may seem like a simple song, the tunes that ring out throughout the Hayes allow players the chance to get into the zone when approaching the plate, as well as offering fans a glimpse into who they are outside the diamond.

Allie Smith and Aldo Rodriguez move around coolers after a game. Photo by Trevor Wilt

Athletes constantly need the attention of a trainer in order to remain healthy and competitive. Cue students such as Aldo Rodriguez and Allie Smith.

Rodriguez and Smith are a part of the athletic training program at Charlotte and for the past two years they have been assigned to a different team or school each semester. The two students are both working with the baseball team this season.

After an injury during his soccer career at Pfeiffer University, Rodriguez became interested in athletic training.

“When I was doing my rehab with the athletic trainer, they made it a lot easier to get back on the field. At first I hated the injury, it was terrible. He just made the process easier,” Rodriguez said.

Smith drew inspiration from her love for sports and from her big in her sorority when it came time to choose a concentration.

“We got to the point where our advisors were telling us to decide which path we wanted to take. I looked into both options and sports are more involved with athletic training than exercise science, so I applied,” Smith said.

The program is very competitive, as only 21 students were accepted in their class – which is high compared to other years. The clinicals the students are placed in consist of local high schools and colleges, including Charlotte athletics. Combined, the duo of Smith and Rodriguez have done it all.

While the circumstances of their job might be unfortunate, it allows the two a chance to shine.

Being placed in baseball was a new experience for Rodriguez who never paid attention to the sport prior to his clinical.

“I had never really watched baseball before this, but it’s definitely growing on me,” Rodriguez said. “It’s different with baseball. With all of the other sports, like football and lacrosse, it’s more acute injuries like if someone gets hit or tackled. Here it’s more overuse stuff, it’s more maintenance on their arms as opposed to someone getting hit on the knee and hurting their knee.”

Smith, on the other hand, has always had a love for baseball.

“I love watching baseball, baseball is my sport,” Smith said.

Seeing a player through a rehabilitation process and having them return to play is what makes what they do important.

“It’s going through an entire rehab program with someone and watching them finally return to whatever sport it is. I got a really good experience doing that with women’s soccer. I worked with one of the athletes for eight weeks and I got to watch her return to play. It happened to be one of the tournament games and it was just fantastic to watch her comeback,” Smith said.

After athletic training helped get him back on track, Rodriguez is trying to do that for others.

“I want to do what that trainer did with me and work with athletes when they’re hurt, when they’re down and they feel terrible and get them back on the field and watch them perform the way they can,” Rodriguez said.

Both Smith and Rodriguez will be graduating in a few weeks. Rodriguez will head out for the west coast and complete a two-year internship for the Seattle Seahawks. Smith is still unsure of what she will do after her time in Charlotte.

]]>54887IMG_3583Allie Smith and Aldo Rodriguez move around coolers after a game. Photo by Trevor Wilt